Alternatives to Chili

[rousseau]

My wife and I have been making a lot of chili in the past 6 months. Usually we'll make a pretty large pot, split it in two, freeze it, and take it out of the freezer periodically. This has the advantage of quick meals that are filling, easy to re-heat, and actually pretty healthy.

But after 6 months of making the same recipe over and over again I'm interested in branching out and trying something different but with similar advantages to chili:

- can make in bulk
- acts as a complete meal
- easily frozen
- filling
- hits the important food groups / lots of healthy vegetables
- is somewhat easy to make

The obvious ones that come to mind are soups or stews, but soup doesn't seem to check the complete meal box, and stew doesn't seem to check the nutritious box.

Finding a good, but similar alternative seems like a tall order, so far I've come up short.

 

[spikepipsqueak]

I've posted this here before, it is NOT haute cuisine, it's nourishing, and it's comfort food. Thin it down and it's a nice soup. Makes enough for many meals so freeze excess in meal sized containers.

Kai See Ming

.5kg minced steak
3 medium onions
125g butter
½ cabbage
.5kg green beans
1 pkt chicken noodle soup
4 rounded tablespoons rice
1 tsp curry
1 tsp mixed herbs
salt and pepper to taste
3 large cups cold water

Brown meat and sliced onions in pan with butter.
Slice cabbage into ¼” strips, put into large pot with all other ingredients including meat from pan, and simmer on low jet for half an hour, stirring occasionally.

That is the original recipe as my Mum used to make it.

I do it slightly differently. I brown the meat and onions in the pot you intend to use and omit the butter entirely, relying on the mince for what fat the recipe needs. (Here, mince has more fat in it than it did when my Mum was young. YMMV) Add the water to the browned meat to get all the juices off the bottom and then add the other ingredients. I do remember that it was absolutely delicious with the butter, when I was a kid, but we were all using more energy in those days, hey?

Your little bloke should love it.

Instead of the chicken noodle I use a good stock powder, because I want to avoid the wheat and the MSG. It changes the flavour, but what can you do? I use more curry, you will find the balance that suits you.

It improves as leftovers, and it is cold leftovers I use to make the homemade version of Chiko rolls.

Soak 1 sheet of rice paper in warm water until it goes soft. Remove to a board and put a tablespoonful of filling near one edge. Roll, folding the outside edges in. You’re aiming for a parcel about the length, and a bit thicker than, your finger. Either deep fry or place in a very hot oven on a well oiled baking dish. They should go crisp.

Also consider making Ratatouille in larger batches when you have it. It freezes OK and goes well on pasta or rice and you can quickly add chopped chicken fillets ot other protein to the second use to make a more substantial meal, if needed.

PS How does stew not check the nutritious box? Interested to know how you make it.

 

[spikepipsqueak]

Thought I'd tell you about my stew. Still curious about yours.

4or 5 onions chopped, sweated with as much garlic as you like and a little olive oil, or use leeks if you prefer a sweeter flavour.

Chop and brown 1kg stewing steak in relays in a frying pan. Add it to the LARGE pot holding the onions. Lift the meat juices off with water and add that to the pot.

Simmer very slowly to tenderise the meat and 40 minutes before you want to eat add lots of chopped carrots, parsnip, celery, tomatoes (if liked, I don't) and 1 small turnip. Add potatoes at this stage or make mash separately.

15 minutes before you want to eat add peas or green beans. Or peas and green beans.

5 minutes before dinnertime thicken with cornflour, You've been adding a very little salt with each addition of material. So that's once adding meat to onions, once with the vegies and once with the greens.

Also good made with lamb. Use BBQ chops.

Vary by adding a little vinegar, tom paste, worcestershire and mustard. I forget quantities but can look it up when I'm next home, if you're interested.

You can vary the lamb with rosemary, the beef with tarragon. Radically changes the flavour.

 

[rousseau]

Thought I'd tell you about my stew. Still curious about yours

I haven't taken a stab at stew yet since we're so preoccupied with chili. I prefer more colorful, vitamin rich vegetables, to the root vegetables of stew (at least that's why I haven't made it yet).

But the chili I've been making started out as this recipe, as I was interested in a vegetarian version. At the start I made a few changes to it - a whole onion instead of a half, an extra jalapeno, extra garlic, no burger crumbles, and pickled pepperoncini peppers. I'm also flexible with the beans and usually only use one variety.

But later I decided to add meat, so halved the beans and replaced them with either ground beef or chicken. I find using a vegetarian chili as a base, but adding meat makes a very good chili. When I've sampled beef chili from others there always seems to be flavour missing, and I think it's that mine is vegetable rich.

It's been fun iterating the recipe as I've probably made it about 15 - 20 times now. There have been a few changes in ingredients, and other changes in how I physically prepare it. I've been thinking about researching some other chili recipes now, not to try a new one, but to find ideas to complement the one I'm already using. I've been able to see how very good recipes are developed over time.

 

[spikepipsqueak]

There is no chili tradition in Aus. and I keep meaning to make it from recipes I see on here, but the people I cook for are very much meat-and-3-veg and when I get home I am a bit fish-and-salad, for the change.

I might try that, though.

Thanks.

 

[rousseau]

There is no chili tradition in Aus. and I keep meaning to make it from recipes I see on here, but the people I cook for are very much meat-and-3-veg and when I get home I am a bit fish-and-salad, for the change.

I might try that, though.

Thanks.

I've never had much chili in my life until lately either, but it does seem common in these parts. It seems to be an ideal food in cold weather.

If you're going to make it I'd clarify that I use pickled pepperoncini where the recipe says 'green chilis'. I had someone recommend Poblanos but I haven't been able to find those. They are pretty much to taste. As for the bell peppers I don't like using green as red, yellow, or orange have more flavour.

One other trick I've started using with it recently is adding the chili powder in stages. After the onion/vegetables/spices/garlic are cooked I add the meat, one can of crushed tomato, and a third of the chili powder, then stir. Then I add the second can of crushed tomato, beans, and more chili powder, stir again. Finally I add the third can of crushed tomato and the rest of the chili powder. This diffuses the powder more evenly throughout the chili, and your entire batch will have the same consistency.

They also recommend adding the garlic with the vegetables, but it's probably better to add the garlic toward the end of the vegetables cooking, maybe a minute or two before you mix in tomato.

 

[Treedbear]

My last chili was a complete fail so I gave up trying until I get some more experience on what possibilities there are for the real thing. All I know is what comes across on the TV cooking shows. That will only get you so far. For instance I was shocked that there are basically two camps: With beans or without. The latter better know as Texas chili. I always thought beans were basic to chili so that's what I did. But I saw some Texas chili on TV and it looked much richer and tomato-y. I can see where it would let the actual chili peppers shine through. Serve over rice or rice and beans if you like, or just eat it out of the bowl with a spoon and a tortilla or just some good crusty bread. I think when I have more time to experiment that's the way I'll go. The key to using fresh poblanos or jalapenos or whole dried chilis seems to be to toast them in a skillet briefly and then put them in a food processor. Supposed to add a slight smoky flavor.

As far as other stews and such that freeze well I always have an evolving spaghetti sauce in the freezer. I've done beef stew in the past. The only recommendation there is leave the potatoes out and make them up as a side. If put them in the stew they turn to mush. I've tried using red wine. I've tried Guinness. It's all good, but not great. It's been missing something and I think if I combine the chili and the beef stew it might do the trick. In the past I always used chicken breast in the chili. But after seeing the Texas version I get the impression that it really needs beef in one form or the other to get the idea across. But instead of ground beef I might go with chunks of beef like in a stew and experiment with various chili peppers, but leave out the beans or other veg. other than onions and maybe celery. BTW every authentic chili recipe I've seen uses white onions for some reason. YMMV.

 

[Cheerful Charlie]

My wife and I have been making a lot of chili in the past 6 months. Usually we'll make a pretty large pot, split it in two, freeze it, and take it out of the freezer periodically. This has the advantage of quick meals that are filling, easy to re-heat, and actually pretty healthy.
...
Finding a good, but similar alternative seems like a tall order, so far I've come up short.

Try Curry.

For example, chicken thighs, cut up into chunks and quickly cooked in a large pot with a little oil. Should be browned a bit. Do not overcook.
Add chopped up celery, lots of onions, you cannot have too much onion. Add water, and then add vegetables.
I like mushrooms, small white buttons halved. Keep adding water and vegetables until a large pot starts getting full. Raisins. A lot of nice raisins. they will plump up nice and fat and fully of curry flavour. Curry spice. I try to shop at stores for this that have a nearby Indian populations. It is usually inexpensive and good. Avoid the cheap Jamaican style stuff. Some people like the curry spicy, and add red pepper. Do so if you like that. I add salt and some corn starch.and a good dose of ground ginger. Bring to a boil and then turn down and simmer until the celery is soft. You can add potatoes, and even apples. If using apples, add this late in the cooking cycle so they do not turn into mush. I never really measure anything. It is done when the celery is soft. Serve over rice or egg noodles. It freezes well and gives you lots of options. Chicken, beef, lamb, using frozen chicken nuggets coconut milk to thicken the broth. For vegetarians use fried eggplant and serve the Curry sauce over that. Sides can be whatever, French garlic bread is nice, broccoli with cheese, your favorite dessert.

I used to make several pint containers and freeze them for lunches at work. Curry can be quite flexible and easy enough to make. The key is finding good curry powder without paying an arm and a leg at stores with limited selection.

 

[Cheerful Charlie]

My last chili was a complete fail so I gave up trying until I get some more experience on what possibilities there are for the real thing. All I know is what comes across on the TV cooking shows. That will only get you so far. For instance I was shocked that there are basically two camps: With beans or without. The latter better know as Texas chili. I always thought beans were basic to chili so that's what I did. But I saw some Texas chili on TV and it looked much richer and tomato-y. I can see where it would let the actual chili peppers shine through. Serve over rice or rice and beans if you like, or just eat it out of the bowl with a spoon and a tortilla or just some good crusty bread. I think when I have more time to experiment that's the way I'll go. The key to using fresh poblanos or jalapenos or whole dried chilis seems to be to toast them in a skillet briefly and then put them in a food processor. Supposed to add a slight smoky flavor.

As far as other stews and such that freeze well I always have an evolving spaghetti sauce in the freezer. I've done beef stew in the past. The only recommendation there is leave the potatoes out and make them up as a side. If put them in the stew they turn to mush. I've tried using red wine. I've tried Guinness. It's all good, but not great. It's been missing something and I think if I combine the chili and the beef stew it might do the trick. In the past I always used chicken breast in the chili. But after seeing the Texas version I get the impression that it really needs beef in one form or the other to get the idea across. But instead of ground beef I might go with chunks of beef like in a stew and experiment with various chili peppers, but leave out the beans or other veg. other than onions and maybe celery. BTW every authentic chili recipe I've seen uses white onions for some reason. YMMV.

The trick to a good beef stew is an 8 oz can of tomato paste and several teaspoons of paprika. Chili? Down here in Texas, we look for chili ground beef. It is coarser than ground beef, and it can make a very big difference.

 

[Treedbear]

... Chili? Down here in Texas, we look for chili ground beef. It is coarser than ground beef, and it can make a very big difference.

I always use top round cut for London broil for my stews as well as if I'm just doing a basic reverse sear. It has a good beefy flavor but without all the fat, which I try to avoid. (I know it's a compromise but I have cholesterol issues and try to make up the difference with lots of olive oil. Besides you won't find chili ground beef up here in CT.) Maybe supplement that with some 80/20 ground beef. I'm assuming you don't add any beans. So my question is what do you serve the chili with as a filler? Rice? Potatoes? Bread?

 

[Politesse]

You need some good old-fashioned casseroles in your repertoire, haha.

 

[Cheerful Charlie]

Corn bread goes nicely with Chili. And onion rings if one isn't too lazy to make them. Or a small salad. French fried potatoes are always good.

Old Texas favorite.
Frito pie.

A bowl of Frito's topped with hot chili and some shredded cheddar cheese. Chopped onion also if you dare.
And of course there is always a chili dog. A hot dog in a bun with mustard, chopped onions and chili.
And some jalapenos.

 

[Lion IRC]

My wife and I have been making a lot of chili in the past 6 months. Usually we'll make a pretty large pot, split it in two, freeze it, and take it out of the freezer periodically. This has the advantage of quick meals that are filling, easy to re-heat, and actually pretty healthy.

But after 6 months of making the same recipe over and over again I'm interested in branching out and trying something different but with similar advantages to chili:

- can make in bulk
- acts as a complete meal
- easily frozen
- filling
- hits the important food groups / lots of healthy vegetables
- is somewhat easy to make

The obvious ones that come to mind are soups or stews, but soup doesn't seem to check the complete meal box, and stew doesn't seem to check the nutritious box.

Finding a good, but similar alternative seems like a tall order, so far I've come up short.

Indian/Thai/Malaysian style curries are great for bulk cooking and portion freezing.
You can customize for +/- vegetable additions. Carrots, potatoes, beans, broccoli etc freeze well.

Example.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_tikka_masala
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massaman_curry
https://www.womensweeklyfood.com.au/recipes/beef-rendang-recipe-7062 (beef rendang)

I like these because you can fine tune how much or how little chilli (spice) you add.

Also, risotto - especially with brown rice because the grains freeze/reheat well - is a great bulk meal. Flavor options are limitless. Fish stock. Beef stock. You can trick it up with spicy chorizo, hot Italian sausage. smoked salmon, sour cream or cream cheese. Added mushrooms and green peas freeze well. Leave stuff like the freshly grated parmesan cheese, squeeze of fresh lemon juice, ground black pepper, spring onions, etc until you eventually plate up.

 

[Lion IRC]

...and some jalapenos.

The left over pickle liquid in jarred jalapenos makes a great flavor addition to chili. If I've got a nearly empty bottle of BBQ sauce or ketchup I'll keep it in the fridge and then when I'm making a pot of chili I take the pickle/vinegar, pour a little into the nearly empty ketchup bottle to 'de glaze' and make use of that last little bit of ketchup that gravity won't let me have normally. (Waste not want not)

 

[southernhybrid]

I hate chilli, so I will give you my favorite minestrone soup recipe. It's vegan and about as healthy as a soup can be. It's absolutely delicious and easy to make.

Ingredients:

3 cups water
2 cups vegetable broth ( I use bouillon cubes, but if you don't care about it being vegan, use chicken bouillon cubes instead of vegetable ones )
2 cups chopped tomatoes ( I use a large can of my favorite brand of chopped tomatoes, easier and tastier )
1 cup sliced carrots 1 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup chopped onions ( Best to use a sweet variety of onion )
3 tbsps. red wine ( cooking wine is fine )
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 clove minced fresh garlic
salt to taste ( I never use salt in cooking but the recipe calls for1/2 teaspoon
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
2 cups sliced zucchini
1 cup diced peeled potatoes ( I sometimes substitute baby potatoes and don't bother to peel them )
11/2 cup kidney beans, canned and drained or you can cook them from dried beans
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
3 tbsps. small pasta shells or any other tiny pasta


1. Place the water, broth, tomatoes, carrots, celery, onions, wine, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 40 minutes

2. Add zucchini, beans, potatoes, parsley, and shells. Cook 20 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender

That's it. Serve with fresh French, Italian or Cuban bread for dipping. I usually add some parmesan cheese on top. And, if you're a strict vegan, you can use vegan cheese

I've taught my husband how to make this recipe as I used to make it for many years and we both love it. Considering we are going to have some very cold weather this week, by Georgia standards, I think this will be a good week for this wonderful soup. Yes. You can freeze it!

 

[Tharmas]

... Chili? Down here in Texas, we look for chili ground beef. It is coarser than ground beef, and it can make a very big difference.

Texas chili (no beans and coarser beef cuts) is often quite hot, from a spicy point of view - lots of chili powder. I've seen choices on restaurant menus labelled "One alarm, two alarm or three alarm". You get the idea. Also, I recommend a good mixture of oregano and cumin.

 

[ronburgundy]

Moroccan Chicken

I don't use a recipe, but the spice blend order of ratios is cumin, coriander, cardamom, paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, salt, cinnamon (go light), ginger powder or fresh ginger.
In addition to chicken, it gets a can of chopped tomatoes, chickpeas, sliced zucchini, and some chicken broth.

Throw chicken thighs in a plastic bag with spice blend and shake to coat them.
Brown chicken in pot, remove, deglaze pan with tomatoes and stock.
Add chickpeas, and chicken, then top with zuchinni.

Simmer covered for 1 hour or longer if you prefer the chicken falling apart and more of a pulled chicken texture.

Add some lemon juice (bottled works well enough).

Possible additions are green olives, raisins, toasted sliced almonds.

 

[Treedbear]

Chili threads should never die. This one started me back on the quest once again. It helped that I was watching a TV show called "Trails To Oishii Tokyo: Togarashi Peppers", about a traditional red pepper used in Japanese cuisine for centuries. I'm interested in all aspects of Japanese culture and have been trying their various seaweeds and noodles. So I went online and ordered some dried Togarashi Ichimi (just that one pepper) plus some Togarashi Schichimi (pepper plus 6 other ingredients). Neither is supposed to be very hot but they sound interesting. Also trying their traditional Worcestershire sauce (Bull-Dog brand) which was the topic of another show.

Anyway, I got side tracked into investigating chili peppers and ended up on Texas chili forums and websites and eventually settled on the need to do some hands-on research. (A really great website by someone with a lot of hands on chili knowledge is Chili Pepper Madness, with Michael Hultquist.) So I ended up ordering some Guajillo and some Pasilla chili powder. I already have the Ancho powder, so that makes the "Holy Trinity". I plan to do some experiments with combining the three along with some tomato puree and probably some ground beef to find out what's going to work for me. Who knows, maybe the Togarashi Ichimi will bring something special. Even doing small batches this might take awhile.

After I get the basic flavor components I'll try adding some heat. Usually that means Chili de Arbol, which are hotter than Jalapenos, but they don't bring much flavor. I was thinking fresh Habaneros instead which are somewhat fruity. Also want to see what roasted green Poblanos will do for the sauce. And of course the white onion, garlic, cumin and Mexican oregano. Maybe a touch of allspice once I replace the ground beef with browned beef chunks. Anyway, that's the plan. Sounds like a nice way to kick-off 2021!

 

[Politesse]

Chili tip: a bit of beer in the mixture does not go amiss.

 

[T.G.G. Moogly]

Back in the day we ate a lot of picadillo. I substituted celery for the pepper and onion and always used rice instead of potato. Very healthy and very sustaining.