There seems to be confusion about chili vs. chile. In possibly every state other than New Mexico, but most notably in Texas, Americans believe that chili is made full of ground beef, red kidney beans, onions, green peppers, crushed tomatoes, some type of hot flavoring, combining variations of all these foods and possibly adding others. A delicious, yummy concoction indeed, but it ain’t “chile.”
To clarify, “chili” is a Tex-Mex dish made as noted above. “Chile” is the capsicum grown mostly in southern New Mexico that is the basis for thick sauces that accentuate New Mexican fare. You won’t find it in Mexico.
To begin with, there are an amazing variety of chile peppers that include Cayenne, Serrano, Bell, Jabanero, Poblano, Habanero and Anaheim among others. In New Mexico, the long, green, standard pod (never referred to as a pepper) is grown in several areas in the southern part of the state, including Hatch, and is commonly called red or green or Hatch chile. The pod grows green when ripened in the fall but turns red later on as it dries and changes flavor.
The membranes and seeds within the pods is where the explosion of heat originates. Once the green pods are roasted, most (all, in my case) of the seeds are discarded. The chile meat is cut out and saved (can be frozen) for garnishing fried eggs, enchiladas, and anything else you feel like enhancing with rich, green chile flavor.
When red chile pods have dried, they are often ground up and converted to powder form. This is sold in small bags in grocery stores in the west and sometimes in east coast gourmet stores. You can make your own chile from scratch by grinding the pods, but I go to the store. If you can get it, this is how you prepare it:
Ingredients:
4 tbsps. canola oil
2 minced cloves garlic
Water
Red chile powder
2-3 chicken bouillon cubes or packets
Salt to taste (may not need it)
Corn starch
Pour the canola oil into a skillet, heat slightly on low heat, then add garlic. As soon as the garlic is slightly cooked, add 3 tbsp red chile powder and a full cup of water. Turn heat up to medium. Stir until combined and warm (about 2 minutes). Add bouillon and keep stirring until combined (about 5 minutes). Add another glass of water. Continue to add chili until the “heat” temperature is to your liking. I usually use about 7-8 tbsp depending on how hot the chile is to begin with. Simmer and stir occasionally for 20 to 30 minutes. Keep adding a little water if the sauce evaporates too much. Stir in 1 tbsp of corn starch to thicken. Simmer another 10 minutes or so.
Add to pinto beans, fried eggs, posole, enchiladas, tacos, shredded pork, burritos, etc. Yum.
by Jane Hruska
