I am going to allow you to learn from my mistake. If you make a 3 bean chili and you have committed to soaking and cooking all your beans, you really should make the extra effort to soak and cook your different types of beans separately. Otherwise you will end up with something that doesn't look that appealing (see last photo). And, I am pretty sure that the point of a 3 bean chili is to enjoy the look of the different types of beans, which was completely lost on me. In the big chili pot it looked like everything might work out okay, but that was just an illusion.
So anyway, here's the scoop:
I was thrilled to find that my library carried a copy of an instructional video for vegetarian cooking. I love instructional videos. When I was a child my mom got a pasta maker that came with an instructional video. All I remember is that we watched Mary (the instructor) make some beautiful pastas on our tv screen. Next I remember my mom and I in the kitchen with the pasta machine saying something like "this isn't as easy as Mary made it look". I am not sure how often we used that pasta maker after the first day, but someday when I am feeling brave, I am planning to give it another whirl.
But this post is not about pasta, it's about chili. And luckily for me the recipe can be found online here. This is good for me because one of my worst skills is writing down recipes while I am watching someone cook.
The recipe looked easy enough and sounded like something I would like so I gave it a go. I soaked and cooked my three types of beans together (bad idea) and put everything in the cooking pot together. I also made some barley and brown rice as a side (good idea).
Here it is at the end: I have black beans, kidney beans and garbanzo beans in here. However, they all look like strangely colored kidney beans to me. It was all around a bland look, and not the colorful chili that I had hoped for.
It was also a little bland for my tastes so I pulled out some low-sodium soy sauce to spice things up. With soy sauce on top and my eyes closed, this became a pretty good chili. I don't think that I will make it again since I was traumatized by the bean discoloration and I am secretly on a chili testing rampage. Although, I guess it's not a secret anymore.
3 comments:
there's a minor price break for dry beans... it doesn't seem worth it to me. open can, rince and dump. hard to argue.
I count soy sauce as my secret ingredient... though I'd think twice about low sodium. all those beans and veggies require some salt. and good dose of sriracha sauce.... gotta have it.
I'm also a big fan of chicken as a meat alternative... something to think about. brown and add. that simple.
Am curious how chicken can be a "meat alternative" since chicken IS meat and therefore not even an option for vegans. Just something to think about, Jim.
I just found your blog through La Belle Vegan's blog and I love your recipes!!! :D Hope you check out mine soon!
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