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Chili What No Carne? (Vegan Chili)

Still cooking chili in the pot
I have been trying for a long time to perfect a Chili without the meat for my vegetarian and vegan friends, and have finally got there. No meat or meat substitute, no gluten was used in this recipe;  I made yesterday and served it today to 14 very fussy Israeli female  students for lunch;  I  said what is any leftover let me know I can make it into a soup freeze it and you can have it next week…

I will have to make something else next week.

The students declared it tasted like meat, it had the texture of Chili con carne and it hit the spot on a blustery day.
It was served with rice seasoned with bay leaf  and  flax seeds, and a baby leaf and bean sprout salad in a light lemon garlic and honey dressing …a great success .
The whole secret is in the textures and seasoning
.
So here is my Vegan Chili no carne serve 14 portions.

3/4 kilo mixed dried beans I used a mixture of kidney beans, black eye beans, white kidney beans, black beans, and chick peas, soaked overnight then cooked for an hour until Al dente http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_dente. 
(Yes you can use canned beans but you wont have the texture.)

2 large onions chopped finely
1 leek chopped finely
1 inch fresh ginger grated
6 cloves garlic crushed
1 red chili de-seeded and chopped Finley
3 bay leaves
1 desert spoon paprika
1 desert spoon cumin
1 desert spoon dried coriander
1/2 desert spoon dried cardamom
1 desert spoon organic coco powder
1 table spoon date syrup
1 liter good vegetable stock plus 2 teaspoons marmite
2 table spoon Tomato paste
1 head celery Finley chopped
8 -10 carrots Finley diced
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 tea spoon hot paprika
2 cups frozen sweet corn
1 cup fresh chopped coriander.
1 table spoon organic sunflower oil
1 can tomatoes or 4 fresh tomatoes chopped
1/2 tea spoon non ionized salt
1 teaspoon rough chopped black pepper
Juice of 1 lemon

Heat the oil in a thick bottom pan, add the onion, garlic & ginger, stir, add the leek, and cook off for 2-3 minutes on a medium heat.

Add your aromatics, (carrots, and celery,) cook 4-5 minutes  then add the bay leaf, the chopped chili, and all the dry spices but not the smoked paprika stir in .
Add your tomato paste, tomatoes, coco, and the vegetable stock mix.

Add your cooked beans, date syrup, and salt and pepper,  your smoked paprika  and lemon juice mix well.

Reduce the heat and cook on a low to medium heat till the flavors are absorbed  35-40 minutes stirring occasionally.

Now add your sweet corn and fresh coriander, cook for a further ten minutes.

At this stage turn off and let the flavors come through.

 I always make chili the day before I am going to eat it. 
So this was made yesterday then reheated over a very low flame for 30 minutes.

The chili had a delicate barbecue flavor as if it had been cooked over an open fire , the celery added a bite and the black beans and coco give  a meaty flavor.
I made enough for 14-16 and twelve students devoured it very quickly…
You could serve this with guacamole and taco shells for a complete meal. Enjoy a vegan Mexican treat! 

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