It’s shocking…how alike the Tex-Mex ground meat preparation ‘Chili con Carne’ is, to an Indian ‘Kheema’.
Tex-Mex Chili, a perennial Texan Favorite, Gets an Indian Touch from the Flavors of ‘Kheema’…
These two mouthwatering servings from different worlds might as well be long lost siblings. ‘Chili con Carne’ or just a good ole bowl of mouthwatering ‘Chili’ as us Texans call it, translates to ‘chili pepper with meat’ and uses a base of onion-garlic- tomato and spices like ground red chili pepper and cumin, similar to the delicious spicy Indian ‘Kheema’ preparation.
Perhaps one of the most defining differences is the use of kidney beans in a Chili, whereas an Indian Kheema is usually served as-is or with added vegetables like potatoes or peas. Furthermore, an authentic Chili uses ground beef while an Indian Kheema is traditionally made with ground lamb.
Our ‘Chili’ Recipe Kicks it up a Notch
with Inspiration from Flavors in an Indian Meat Preparation ‘Kheema’
Chili is a perennial Texan classic and a huge favorite especially at this time of year in America. It’s customary to serve steaming bowlfuls of Chili topped with sour cream, shredded cheese, chopped red onion and lemon on ‘Super Bowl Sunday’ (Feb. 3rd this year,) an annual American-football event causing the same nation-wide fan frenzy as a ‘Cricket’ match in India or ‘Football/Soccer’ game in Europe.
Our ‘Chili’ recipe kicks it up a notch, drawing its inspiration from flavors in an Indian Kheema. The surprise addition of seasonal Brussels sprouts to our version is another unique touch, making sure everyone goes back for seconds…
Before cooking this flavorful pot of Chili; check us out on Pocket Change, a resource-filled and informative website. This week, ‘Peri’s Spice Ladle’ has been featured on their Best of the Web series.
Tex-Mex ‘Chili’ Inspired by Indian ‘Kheema’
Serves 4 (recipe can be doubled)
Ingredients
Simple Conviniences like Ready-to-use Tomatoes and Red Kidney Beans are Ideal for Tex-Mex Chili
1 lb ground/minced meat; of your choice (we use turkey)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic (3-4 garlic cloves)
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon ground red chili or Cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup dark or light red kidney beans, cooked or canned
8-10 pieces/4 oz. Brussels sprouts, cut in quarters*
2 cups tomato puree/sauce/crushed/strained
3 cups stock or water
½ teaspoon Garam Masala
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Juice of one lemon/lime
*Add your own choice of vegetables from potatoes and peas to zucchini, bell pepper or even edamame.
Toppings and Garnish:
Customary to Serve Chili topped with
Sour Cream, Cheese, Red Onion and Lemon/Lime
Chopped red onion
Sour cream
Shredded cheese
(cheddar or Mexican blend works best)
Cooked basmati rice
Lemon/lime wedges
Chopped scallion/spring onion
Sliced Serrano pepper or Jalapeno
Cilantro
Mint leaves
Chives, finely chopped
Directions:
In a heavy bottom pan, heat canola oil and crackle the cumin seeds in it. Brown chopped onion and ground/minced meat of choice in this cumin-infused oil for 5-7 minutes. Then add the garlic and ginger, cooking for a few more minutes.
Sprinkle ground spices and salt over the meat mixture and let them blend well with the meat, adding a little stock or water if required.
Addition of Seasonal Brussels Sprouts
to our Tex-Mex Chili is a Unique Touch
Next step is to add the kidney beans, Brussels sprouts, tomato puree/sauce and stock or water. Let the chili cook covered for 7-10 minutes based on the type of ground/minced meat. Check for salt and consistency of the chili, it should not be too soupy or completely dried out.
To finish the preparation, sprinkle Garam Masala, chopped cilantro and the juice of a lemon/lime. Cook for a minute and leave the Chili covered till ready to serve.
Best Way to Serve Chili:
Our Steaming Hot Tex-Mex Chili, Inspired by an Indian Kheema,
Topped with Sour Cream, Shredded Cheese, Chopped Red Onion & Lemon
Use deep bowls (like a cereal bowl) or soup plates to ladle out our steaming hot Tex-Mex Chili, inspired by an Indian Kheema. The toppings and garnish are generally laid out in a self-serve fashion, so each person can tailor the comforting Chili to their individual taste.
I was thinking today about variations on crackers that would go with Mexican flavored lentils. Curry flavored came to mind. I had to smile when I later came across your Indian inspired chili through another blogger. It’s kind of the same concept inversed. Nice blog!
Love hearing that! Its so good to intertwine flavors and come up with delicious combinations! Thanks for visiting, glad you like the blog:)
Interesting idea! Great!
Thanks…has great flavor!
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Oo. We’ve had a hankering for chili lately and I love this idea of mixing it up a bit.
I’m the same way…the craving for a steaming hot bowl of chili just comes along:) Hope you enjoy this version! Thanks…
Peri, I’ve written a review about McCormick’s Garam Masala and included a link to your Tex-Mex recipe. Here is the link to the review: http://www.epinions.com/review/MCC_GARAM_MASALA_Mccormick/content_612112699012
Thats a nice piece, you’ve really done justice to the versatility of Garam Masala in this piece. can you imagine the health benefits of this blend…It’s like the avengers, each superhero stand on his own but when they all come together, it’s magic!! Thanks Marcy, for the link to this recipe…
The avengers? A movie? I’m barely familiar so it’s my loss. Superheroes? OK, now I’m back on solid ground, I think. But who is Wonder Woman in this scenario? Is she the cinnamon (sweet yet spicy)? Thank you for reading my review.I’m glad you enjoyed it. You’ll never guess what I’ve written about for New Food Friday (tomorrow). Oh, you’ve guessed! It’s interesting that you would bring up a movie (The Avengers.) Make sure you read my post for New Food Friday so you understand what I’m talking about here, OK? And then I will leave you alone so you can cook! ; – )
You are on the right track, its just a whole bunch of well-known superheroes (wonder woman is not part of the Avengers unfortunately but if she were, I bet she and Capt America would get together:) Waiting to read the New Food Friday tomorrow (you’ve stopped showing up on my reader, need to check if you post comes thru tomorrow or I’ll sign up again.) Off for now…
There was also a TV show called The Avengers that ran a long time ago and that is what I thought of first. It was a British show. The male lead wore a bowler hat. Diana Rigg played the female lead. It was probably before you were born! lol!
That’s interesting, many English shows used to run simultaneously in India like ‘Yes Minister’…Yes, this Avengers is a little bit before my time:) LOL.
You know my tummy is growling right now! Looks and sounds amazing, Peri!
The combination is truly mouthwatering:) Worth a try…thanks!
Oh, Peri! This is delicious! All the spices! I wish I had a beer!!! I love the brussels sprouts in this. And I love the Garam Masala! My first bowl has the Garam Masala and a squeeze of lemon juice. My second bowl will have sour cream and I think the GM again too. If I can eat a third bowl (lol) I’ll put red onions and some lime juice. (I have a half of a frozen lime in the freezer that I was saving for just such an occasion! Yumeeeeeeee!!! What a nice change from my usual chili recipe. OK, on to my second bowl!
Oh wonderful and dear Marcy! You are brave to rummage through the grocery shelf for garam masala & return victorious! And I’m even more thrilled to hear of the outcome to this recipe! Thank you so much for trying it out…yes, this mince is absolutely addictive, especially if you ever dream of making this same recipe with lamb mince…I know, I know, you and I can’t use the word ‘lamb’ without a smile at either end of this comment:) but I mean it, lamb mince takes a ‘kheema’ recipe over the top when you have the secret ingredient on hand- garam masala:) Really do appreciate your feedback, you made my day!
You deserve your day to be made everyday! Well, at the rate I visit Meijer, I can afford to be brave! I go there so often that other customers ask me for help finding things! lol! So, I must look like I work there! (Which doesn’t sound like a compliment to me. lol.) After trying the garam masala I am glad I made the extra effort to look for it. I even shook some on some corn last night. (I was hungry for a snack and sometimes I’ll defrost frozen corn in the microwave for a healthy snack.) It was delicious on the corn too. Better than my usual Mexene chili powder which contains salt that I don’t need. So, thank you Peri for turning me on to a very, very nice spice combination and a delicious new chili recipe. I will try the lamb chili too!
LOL all the way through this comment…and I was reminded of how often people stop me to ask questions at my ethnic Indian store, its funny how they just look around and spot me for the ‘how do you think I should use this?’ question! LOL…So glad you are enjoying the true joys of roasted Garam Masala (if you run into an un-roasted version, make sure to cook it before eating:) And using too much GM can upset a stomach, so its a pinch at a time…delicious though it is! I know I sounded like my mom there for a moment…Have fun experimenting:)
You have a store; people assume I have a store – all these similarities! lol! What is the name of your store and is there an online version of it?
That was misleading! When I said ‘my ethnic store’, I meant the only one I visit for my Indian ethnic food supplies! Nope, I don’t own a store…although with my hotels and restaurants background, perhaps a restaurant someday:)
I love a good hot bowl of chili, and I know I’d love this!
Oh yes, you’d love this one! Its just the right kinda spicy…
Hi Peri, I use ground turkey in my chili recipe too. I like the addition of the brussels sprouts. I am always looking for ways to get more vegetables in my diet. I need to buy some garam masala…..on my next trip to the supermarket. There is snow on the ground here so I am going to wait until it melts which should be tomorrow or Tuesday as we will have yet another warmup! I have already soaked my kidney beans overnight and put them in jars in my freezer. They are awaiting transportation into my next dish. My polenta is waiting its turn in my fridge and I removed my fish stew jar from the freezer to adorn the polenta today as a matter of fact, since it was waiting so patiently. lol. It’s like an assembly line here. Congratulations on appearing in the Best of the Web Series!
Hi Marcy, thanks for the wishes and couldn’t agree more with you…any addition of vegetables to a dish make it more wholesome and satisfying:) This time of year, its a Brussels sprout and butternut squash over-use in my kitchen! LOL…What a neat idea to freeze kidney beans and fish stew in jars! Do you keep raw kidney beans soaked in the freezer or do you actually cook and freeze them (that’s what I generally do for my rajma/north Indian kidney beans dish.) Polenta and fish stew, you have me intrigued and hungry and it’s only breakfast time! Your kitchen and freezer sound like mine…you should see the collection of daal and curry pre-preps! Have a great day:)
Hi Peri, I cook and then freeze them. Actually, a jar of the kidney beans is thawing out right now because I’m going to make your chili. I bought the ground turkey, I found the garam masala (please excuse if I spelled it incorrectly), and I bought the brussels sprouts. The garam masala was on sale but I had to dig for it because they had several jars of nutmeg in front of it. I wasn’t going to leave until I found it because it was on sale!! lol! Yes, I really like the combination of the fish stew and polenta. I also have some lasagna in the freezer. (and who knows what else!) lol. I buy butter when it’s on sale and sometimes I have at least 4 packages of butter in the freezer. I find that I use the freezer more and more. Otherwise, things get old in the fridge and I don’t like to throw food out. So, I’m getting better at remembering to freeze foods. It’s 4:00pm here and I’m getting hungry too! Can’t wait to try your recipe! Ciaoooooooo!
Delicious recipe idea, particularly like the addition of brussel sprouts
Thanks!
Glad to hear it…I add Brussels spouts wherever possible at this time of year, they give such great texture to this meaty dish:)
what a great idea! I LOVE indian food, and I would eat chili every day if my body could handle it…so this sounds like my dream food!
Thanks…we both agree on that one:) Chili is one of my favorites too, warm and comforting like Indian food! You’ll love this one…
Delicious, delicious dear Peri, this nosh is fit for an exciting Super Bowl! Once again I am loving to see the similarites in our cuisine, as your Kheema is very simlar to the base ground meat sauce we use in casseroles, with veg : )
A big well done you to appear at Be@home!! Well deserved : ) xx Ozlem
Thanks Ozlem! It really is fingerlicking good…as always, thrilled to hear about the cuisine similarities, shows the world is a really small place with all our cultures ‘feeding’ off each other:) xxPeri.
Sounds pretty perfect to us. We’ve been making a chili for some time with many of the ingredients you suggest but we’ll try the ground ginger next time.
Isn’t it just! Oh yes, the hint of ginger and the Garam Masala really lend that extra something to an already awesome dish:) Thanks…
I love garam masala, but have never used it in “chili”. This is a “must try”.
Absolute must-try, we’ve been experimenting with Chili for years and now this is our staple version:) Since you keep Garam Masala on hand, it’s good to know that meat, especially red meat and Garam Masala are made for each other:) If its a roasted Garam Masala blend like the one I use, it’s perfect to sprinkle over the meat since you don’t have to cook it:)
Thanks Peri.
Anytime:)
What? No Cardamom? Hehe!
. Looks yummy!
You know me well, Angie! LOL..Of course there is cardamom, it’s hiding in my Garam Masala, the warm spices are a must-use in this version…
Of course! How foolish of me, lol. I’m a big fan of the Garam Masala!!!
Not all all:) Garam Masala can be sneaky!
Hahaha, you’re funny!
thanks for being kind!
I like your recipe and extras. I often make similar. However, authentic chili con carne is made with pieces of meat, not ground. The beans (frijoles) would not be incorporated but might be a separate dish. See http://www.authenticchilirecipes.com/authentic-chili-con-carne/
Thanks, some of them like chopped chives go really well with the flavors! I did once have the meat pieces version, but most of our Texan friends have moved to the ground beef version…either way, so delicious! Thanks for the authentic chili recipes link, what a great resource…though not a fan of V8 in my food, it has that sweet tin-ny edge to it…