Vegetarian "Eggplant & Tofu" Chili
Ingredients
1 large eggplant
1/2 large white onion
1/2 red onion
1 block medium firm tofu
1/2 cup lentils
3 cans chili beans
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
1/2 cup dried couscou
1 packet additional chili seasoning (for extra flavor)
Optional:
Ketchup, mustard, sour cream, cheese & frito chips
Directions:
In one pot follow directions on lentil package. Basically 2 cups water in pot with the lentils, set on simmer and cook until tender. About 45 minutes.
While lentils are cooking its time to get everything else prepped. Add the chili beans, the diced tomatoes (with the fluid in the cans) to a large pot and set to medium flame to heat up. Add in the additional Seasoning packet (chili beans in a can tend to be bland if you ask me). Then while that is simmering it is time to tackle the vegetables and tofu. First take and cut both ends off of the eggplant, then peel the skin off but peeling it like a cucumber (trust me I forgot to do this and eggplant flesh tends to be bitter). Then your want to cut into strips sort of like if you were making french fries, then cube them into small squares (try to get them no bigger than 1/2 a inch). Add the eggplant into the pot and let simmer. Next you'll want to peel and chop the onions into however big or small of chunks you want and then add them into the pot with everything else.
Next you'll want to cut the tofu package open and drain any water out of the package. I also suggest trying to "squeeze" or "press" extra water out of the tofu to help prevent the chili from becoming watery. To do this you'll want to place something flat like a plate or a cutting board over the tofu, and seeing as this is medium firm tofu you'll want to just lightly add pressure down to help squeeze out any extra water. Then slice into slabs and then cube it into about matching sizes of the eggplant and add into the pot. Cover and simmer until the lentils are done.
Note on the lentils. Lentils should be tender and soft with hardly any "bite" to them and all water is drained off. Sometimes the water will drain faster than they actually cook so check it often for tenderness and how much water is left. Always try and keep the lentils moist until they are done other wise their crunchy and gross.
So after the lentils cook free of water and are tender add them into the chili and stir. Add in couscous, stir and then let sit with flame off for about ten minutes. What I like to do being a sort of chili snob who grew up near Mexico is add a hint of French's (and trust me the brand makes the difference) Yellow Mustard and Heinz Ketcup, stir it up with some Sharp Cheddar. Then once dished in bowls add sour cream and fritos and enjoy
1 large eggplant
1/2 large white onion
1/2 red onion
1 block medium firm tofu
1/2 cup lentils
3 cans chili beans
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
1/2 cup dried couscou
1 packet additional chili seasoning (for extra flavor)
Optional:
Ketchup, mustard, sour cream, cheese & frito chips
Directions:
In one pot follow directions on lentil package. Basically 2 cups water in pot with the lentils, set on simmer and cook until tender. About 45 minutes.
While lentils are cooking its time to get everything else prepped. Add the chili beans, the diced tomatoes (with the fluid in the cans) to a large pot and set to medium flame to heat up. Add in the additional Seasoning packet (chili beans in a can tend to be bland if you ask me). Then while that is simmering it is time to tackle the vegetables and tofu. First take and cut both ends off of the eggplant, then peel the skin off but peeling it like a cucumber (trust me I forgot to do this and eggplant flesh tends to be bitter). Then your want to cut into strips sort of like if you were making french fries, then cube them into small squares (try to get them no bigger than 1/2 a inch). Add the eggplant into the pot and let simmer. Next you'll want to peel and chop the onions into however big or small of chunks you want and then add them into the pot with everything else.
Next you'll want to cut the tofu package open and drain any water out of the package. I also suggest trying to "squeeze" or "press" extra water out of the tofu to help prevent the chili from becoming watery. To do this you'll want to place something flat like a plate or a cutting board over the tofu, and seeing as this is medium firm tofu you'll want to just lightly add pressure down to help squeeze out any extra water. Then slice into slabs and then cube it into about matching sizes of the eggplant and add into the pot. Cover and simmer until the lentils are done.
Note on the lentils. Lentils should be tender and soft with hardly any "bite" to them and all water is drained off. Sometimes the water will drain faster than they actually cook so check it often for tenderness and how much water is left. Always try and keep the lentils moist until they are done other wise their crunchy and gross.
So after the lentils cook free of water and are tender add them into the chili and stir. Add in couscous, stir and then let sit with flame off for about ten minutes. What I like to do being a sort of chili snob who grew up near Mexico is add a hint of French's (and trust me the brand makes the difference) Yellow Mustard and Heinz Ketcup, stir it up with some Sharp Cheddar. Then once dished in bowls add sour cream and fritos and enjoy
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