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Community Corner

The Winning Chili Recipe 2010

Tanu Gupta shares her prize-winning vegetarian version with Patch.

You don't need meat to make top-notch chili.

Tanu Gupta's vegetarian chili took first-place honors at the city's annual chili cookoff at the Beverly Hills Farmers' Market. She beat out seven other contestants for the $275 grand prize. She was the only competitor to cook up a meatless batch. Though chili is traditionally made with beef and pork, Gupta and her family—American citizens originally from India—are vegetarian.

"Although the chili has an Indian influence, I used many of the common ingredients found in chili," Gupta said. "Beans, tomatoes, onions and bell peppers, but most of the flavor came from the onions, ginger and all of the wonderful spices that I love."

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Second-place honors went to Brian Watson and the third-place award was shared by Caroline Frost and Teresa Jones for their Big Texas Red Chili.

As outlined in the official guidelines of the contest, only amateur cooks were permitted to compete. Gupta shares her winning chili recipe with Patch readers.  

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Tanu Gupta's Vegetarian Chili

Ingredients: (yields one gallon)

2 large cans of red kidney beans
1 large can of garbanzo beans
2 large onions (diced)
2 tablespoons ginger paste                                                                                                     
3 tablespoons cooking oil                                                                                                        
2-3 bell peppers (any color, diced)                                                                                        
1/2 cup paneer, crumbled (Indian farmers cheese)
1 1/2 large cans of tomatoes or equivalent fresh tomatoes (diced)                            
1/2 bunch cilantro (chopped)                                                                                                 
1 tablespoon cumin                                                                                                                 
1 tablespoon ground cilantro seeds
Salt and red pepper flakes (according to taste)

Directions:

Add the oil to the pot on medium heat. Add the cumin and roast lightly. Add the onions and cook until caramelized. Add the ginger paste and tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the ground cloves, cilantro seeds and canned beans. (I prefer to drain the beans and replace the liquid with fresh water.) Once the beans have softened (10-15 minutes), add the bell peppers and paneer. Add the bay leaves. Add the salt and red pepper flakes according to personal taste and fresh cilantro for garnish.

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