A Writer Has to Eat: Tomatillos, Mushroom, and Black Bean Chili

This recipe is another one that I make in the crock pot. I like cooking with the crock pot because once I get the ingredients in it I can turn it on and walk away. Also I tend to cook quantities of food that I can re-heat through the week. This chili has a unique flavor that is different from the standard vegetarian chili that I make. The tomatillos (or green tomatoes if you cannot get tomatillos) give it a tangy flavor while the cardamom adds a spicy punch.

Ingredients
1 pound dried black beans
2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
1/4 cup mustard seeds
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin powder or 2 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro or coriander
1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 medium onions, diced
2 bell peppers, diced
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
6-8 tomatillos or 2-3 green tomatoes, diced
48 ounces vegetable broth
1 can tomato paste (6 ounce)
other types of peppers or chipotles in adobo
salt to taste

1. Soak the beans overnight in 2 quarts of water and discard the excess water OR boil the beans in the 2 quarts of water for a few minutes, and let them stand in the hot water while you prepare everything else to go into the crock pot, drain them.



2. In a frying pan or dutch oven with a lid pour the olive or vegetable oil. Put the mustard seeds, chili powder, cumin, and cadamom in the oil. Over medium heat and with the lid on the pan cook the spices for a few minutes. Put in the onions and saute them until they become translucent. Put the bell peppers, mushrooms, and tomatillos in the pan. Saute everything for 5 minutes or so until the vegetables' juices sit in the bottom of the pan. Add in the can of tomato paste and stir.



3. Put the beans in the crock pot. Pour the vegetable broth over them. Put the vegetable and spice mixture in the crock pot. Add the minced garlic. Stir everything together.



4. Turn the crock pot on high and let the chili cook all day. Add salt to taste.

You can experiment with which peppers you put into this chili. Chipotles in adobo sauce add a smokey flavour but be careful because they can make the whole chili very spicy. If I put chipotles in I only use 2 peppers out of small cans. Jalapenos and other types of peppers can also be used as can other types of beans. If using different types of peppers, just saute them with the vegetable and spice mix. Be careful when cutting spicy peppers and either wear plastic gloves or wash your hands frequently because the chemical in the peppers that makes them spicy will burn your skin.

This is good with cheese melted on top and a dollop of sour cream.

Enjoy!