Tofu Chili

Chili's only drawback is that it's not so photogenic!

Although it appears from my recent entries that I've been on a tofu kick and am eschewing meat for good, I promise that this is not the case. I try to be vegetarian, or at least pescatarian, most days (vegan on occassion, but this is difficult being that eggs are a staple in my diet), but overall I aim for eclecticism. In this interconnected world, particularly in a cosmopolitan area such as New York City, it seems that it is our birthright to have access to as many types of cuisine as are offered. As any aspiring yuppy, I am a fan of Anthony Bourdain. And like Bourdain (who has quite possibly the best career in the world), I am ardent about experiencing different cuisines, for both sensory and intellectual reasons. Food is a vital aspect of history, and when you think about it, it's strange that the history of cuisine in regard to particular civilizations and cultures is not something that is not often incorporated into history and social studies curricula, both at the secondary and collegiate level. But I digress....

There is a Tex-Mex joint in Sea Cliff, NY (an awesome little laid-back town, by the way, that you should check out if you ever find yourself around Long Island's North Shore) that among its many delicious offerings has served a vegetarian chili for as long as I have been going there. Rather than solely consisting of the (honestly, sometimes boring) combination of beans and veggies in a thick tomato-y base, this chili has soy-based "meat." And let me tell you, it's delicious. It comes topped with an optional dallop of sour cream and freshly chopped onion, as well as a generous bag of homemade tortilla chips. Even committed omnivores who are not particularly into soy-based meat substitutes/tofu have tried it only to rave about it. So, with a decent amount of free time on my hands this summer, I decided one day to make tofu chili and tweak it so that it is as similar as possible to this beloved dish.

I followed the basics of this Whole Foods' Tofu Chili recipe but made a few modifications as listed below:

- Rather than adding corn, the texture of which I don't particularly enjoy as part of chili, I used canned (and drained) black beans. Therefore, the chili was thick with both kidney (cannelli) and black beans in addition to crumbled tofu, chunks of tomato, and chopped green pepper and onion.

- I did not opt for tamari, but used salt. Tamari somehow didn't seem like the right choice in terms of sticking to a more "authentic" mix of flavors.

- In addition to chili powder and cumin (I used more than the recipe called for), I used cayenne powder and quite a bit of chipotle powder, which lends the chili a smoky sweetness.

- Recalling that the Tex Mex joint uses them in their veggie chili, I added a few bay leaves to the chili

- To cancel out the acidity of the tomato sauce, I sprinkled (sparingly) some sugar into the pot as well.

- Two more improvisations were the addition of Cholula chili garlic sauce and a dash or two of lime juice to brighten the hearty soup's flavor.

As with most cooking, you must take moments while the chili is simmering (which takes approximately 40 minutes) to perform taste tests and adjust the spices accordingly. All of my modifications were not precisely measured.

The result? Although it doesn't taste exactly as the Tex Mex joint's veggie chili, mine came pretty close. This chili is robust and can serve as a meal all on its own. Top with sliced avocado or chopped onions with sour cream if you really want to go all out :)