Chili in a Wok

It looks terrible! But it was incredibly savory. The kids moaned when they saw it, and it is awfully ugly, but we had no leftovers! I call it Chili in a Wok, because it tastes like chili but it’s not as tomatoe-y. It was really easy to make and it used up some stuff we had in the fridge. Vest of all, it’s incredibly nutritious. It has three types of beans, and with the rice, the meal makes a complete protein– next best thing to cow’s or breast-milk, eh?– and very, very healthful.

Chili in a Wok
Olive oil
Boneless pork steaks, cut into strips
White onion, diced
Garlic, chopped
Canned beans: I used 1 can of kidney, 1 can of northern, and 1 can of garbanzo.
Kale, chopped in small sections
1 small can V-8 tomato juice (8 oz)
Chili powder
Cumin
Salt

In a wok, heat up the oil. Toss in the pork. When it starts to cook through, add the onion and garlic. Allow the pork to cook entirely. Open the cans of beans and drain the liquid entirely. I also rinse them to remove the goopy liquid. Add the beans to the wok, and gently stir.

Add the tomato juice, kale, and seasonings. Cook, stirring, until the kale begins to soften.

Serve with jasmine or basmati rice.

Now, my dish was a little on the spicy side because I used a lot of chili powder and cumin. You can adjust the recipe according to your likes.

So while this dish won’t win any beauty contests, it’s great comfort food for a cold, nasty day (which it was, that November evening). It’s easy to make and so healthy! I’ll be doing this one again.

Wow Chow Chili

This is not your average American-style chili recipe. I actually made it up when I was out of a certain number of ingredients (isn’t that how all recipes are eventually created, lol?). Wow Chow Chili, as most of my recipes are, can be completely customized according to your likes. I like my chili only a *little* on the spicy side, so this is a milder recipe. Feel free to add your own toxic spices to make this a hottie. Here’s how I do mine:

Wow Chow Chili
serves 10

• 1 large can (28 oz.) petite-diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 green pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 white onion, diced
• 1 can beef broth
• 1 small can tomato paste
• 4-5 pounds beef or pork, cubed into bite-sized pieces (I used both uncooked beef cubes and some leftover grilled pork steaks, cubed)
• 3 cans black beans, drained
• 2 Tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• salt

Throw everything into the crockpot and stir well. Turn on HIGH for 6-8 hours (or LOW for 10-12).

Serve with rice and a little cheddar cheese sprinkled over the top.

If you want to add some heat to the recipe, you can add tabasco sauce, or something like hot pickled cherry peppers. I always have a can of these on hand for my Chicken Riggies recipe. My kids don’t like spicy foods, so I don’t make them (not too often, heh heh).