Triple Herb Quinoa and Vegetable Chili_Chili and Cornbread Part II

This triple herb and quinoa chili has a few avatars. This one is usually my tested and tried one and works beautifully in either a slow cooker or instant pot. An heirloom recipe of sorts. For me anyway! It is served with my Sunshine Cornbread, that I had shared here. The journey from arrival to assimilation usually sums up the immigrant experience. My tale is no different. Along the way it is littered with my own unique memories that I carry with me into my kitchen onto our family table. Food to me is always about context, after all without context there is no meaning. And even without context this is a great chili recipe.  It is vegan, but the quinoa boosts the nutrition and offers very interesting texture.

As we get into those evenings of snow and cool spring rain, I welcome the weather with soups and my favorite vegetarian chili. This vegetarian chili is a a memory of a meal that started a deep relationship of sorts. Of course as I post this tale of assimilation and affection, I cannot help wondering, how American is chili, really? So thank you,  Sundar Pichai, as I take a minute to search chili. I find chili cook offs, and musings. Like most traditional dishes and their origins, no real conclusions.

This chili complete with a side of cornbread was one of the first winter meals I enjoyed with Bev and Stan.  My adopted family. A surrogate family broadens your boundaries and culinary horizons. It does not replace but rather compliments your existing family.

Indeed, it was Bev and Stan who helped me shop for and find my first apartment and later my first condominium. They were always there when I needed someone to help me with a second opinion. In my days a novice cook, Bev helped me learn to shop for basics and set up a kitchen. In turn, I taught her the secrets of spices. We often spent cold evenings together savoring comforting bowls of chili.

When I first sampled this chili, I did not even realize that this bean stew had a distinct name. Bev had thought of serving it as the flavors were comforting and closer to home for me. Indeed, now that I have absorbed these flavors and made them my own, I realize the common overtones.

The concept of a legume rich dish, with all the fixings would indeed be very much at home on the North Indian table. This makes it a dish that my (north Indian) husband enjoys greatly. Since, Bev was mostly familiar with the Northern highlands of Southeast Asia (having lived in India and Pakistan) for several years, her association was spot on.

As with all dishes, you make your swaps. I use quinoa instead of the bulgur from the original recipe. We lost Bev and shortly a few months later Stan both 91 years old. They had touched many lives in many parts of the world. A life well lived. Memories compliment and haunt. But pleasant and beautiful memories.

My kids call this chili Grandma Bev’s vegetarian chili. A chili that is as warm and comforting. Much like the person it is named after.

If you like this recipe and want more ideas, do join my Indian Instant Pot  and Air Fryer Facebook group .

Pick up a copy of my Instant pot cookbook Instant Indian  here, along with The Bengali Five Spice Chronicles and Spices and Seasons.

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