Chili Con Tofu

K.D. Lang: All You Get Is Me

by Victoria Starr

k.d. lang’s Recipe for Chili Con Tofu

1 lb. tofu, drained and crumbled
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups tomato sauce
2 1/2 cups cooked (or canned) kidney beans and 1 cup bean broth or water
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
4 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
pepper
In a bowl, combine tofu, garlic powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a large suacepan, combine tomato sauce, kidney beans (and juices), and water. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat oil over medium-high heat in skillet.
Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring 2-3 minutes or until tender. Stir in chili powder, cumin, and tofu mixture; cook, stirring 3 minutes or until tofu is lightly golden. Stir tofu mixture into simmering tomato sauce; cook uncovered, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Makes 4-6 servings.
Note: I found this recipe when I read this biography again recently, and I thought, let’s cook it for our upcoming party! Just keep in mind that tomato sauce does not refer to ketchup as I thought, but works the same way when you hang around the stove to reduce the liquid. I also substituted garlic powder for Chat Masala, which contains garlic anyway. Have fun!

See more about K.D. Lang: All You Get Is Me

Chickpeas in Glazed Tomato

CHICKPEA SOAKING TIME: 8 hours or overnight
PREPARATION TIME: 10 minutes
COOKING TIME: 1 hour
YIELD: enough for 4-6 persons

1 1/4 cups (310ml) dried chickpeas
4-5 cups (1-1.25 litres) water
3 tablespoons (60ml) olive oil or ghee
1/2 teaspoon (2ml) mustard seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons (7ml) cumin seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons (7ml) minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons (7ml) fresh green chillies, seeded and chopped
10 fresh curry leaves
1 3/4 cups (435ml) ripe, finely-chopped tomatoes, about 5 medium tomatoes
1 teaspoon (5ml) tumeric
1/4 cup (60ml) chopped fresh coriander leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons (7ml) chat masala
1/2 teaspoon (2ml) garam masala
1 1/4 teaspoons (6ml) salt
1 tablespoon (20ml) butter

1. Place the chickpeas in a large bowl and cover them with 5 or 6 cups (1.25-1.5 litres) water. Leave to soak for 8 hours or overnight.
2. Pour the chickpeas into a colander and drain them. Place them in a 3-litre/quart saucepan over high heat with 4 or 5 cups of water and a dab of oil or ghee. Bring the water to the boil, reduce the heat to low and cook for 1 hour or until the chickpeas are butter-soft, but not broken down.
3. Meanwhile, in a 2-litre/quart suacepan, prepare the tomate glaze as follows: Warm the oil or ghee over moderate heat. When fairly hot but not smoking, drop in the mustard seeds. When they crackle and turn greyish, add the cumin. As the cumin darkens a few shades, drop in the ginger, chillies and curry leaves. Stir-fry the spices for 1 or 2 minutes or until the spices are fragrant. Add the chopped tomatoes, tumeric, half the fresh coriander, the chat masala and the garam masala. Cook, stirring occasionally for 5-7 mintues, or until the ghee or oil oozes out and the tomatoes are broken down and saucy.
4. Drain the chickpeas, reserving the cooking water. Stir the chickpeas into the sauce, reduce the heat to low and cook for another 10 minutes more, adding a little chickpea cooking liquid, if required, to keep the chickpeas moist.
5. Remove the savoury glazed chickpeas from the heat, add the remaining butter, salt, and the rest of the herbs. Serve hot with wedges of lemon or lime and the breads and accompaniments suggested above.

This recipe has also appeared at The Recipe Pot and the Jeffrey Online Journal.