donireewalker via Flickr (photo_
The beauty of this recipe is that, for the most part, it takes about 15 minutes of actual cooking, and the rest of it is just waiting. Almost any of the ingredients can be replaced or removed, and it will turn out alright. The only essentials of this recipe are the beans, tomatoes, onions, stock, and a couple of the spices. Everything else is as you like it. However, fair warning: this recipe may create so much chili that you don’t know what to do with it all. Be prepared to freeze a whole boatload of it.
Ingredients
(Find organic options if available/in your budget)*
1 large white onion
3 cloves of garlic (or two heaping spoonfuls of minced garlic)
1 leek (not absolutely necessary, but tasty!)
1 large green (Anaheim) chili
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp ground cumin
2 tbsp ground coriander
2 tbsp paprika
2 tbsp oregano
2 tbsp dark chili powder
1 pinch of nutmeg
1 can of tomato paste
300 g dried green lentils (for the lentils, just get a small bag in bulk and measure out about 3-4 handfuls)
300 g dried red lentils
2 cans of kidney beans
2 cans of black beans
2 cans of chopped tomatoes
1 can of corn
1 can of chickpeas/garbanzo beans
1.5 litres of vegetable stock
Instructions
Take the onion, garlic, leek, and chili and put them in a big pot—the biggest pot you can find—with some olive oil. Turn the heat to medium-high until the onions turn translucent and everything smells amazing.
Then, add all of the spices and the tomato paste, which makes the largest hot mess of weird chili paste. Let it cook together on medium for about five minutes while mixing. Take all of your veggies, drain the extra juice out of them, then put them in the pot. Then, and only then, do you add your veggie stock.
The stock should be enough to cover the other ingredients, but if not, add some extra water. Then cover it and let it simmer for between 60 to 90 minutes. Serve over rice for a completely vegan dinner, or with some cheese and sour cream. Time to enjoy the fruits of your hard labour while you curl up on the couch and watch Netflix with your cat.
*Protip: Go to the Bulk Barn or bulk section of your grocery store to buy all of the spice ingredients and dried veggies
