Chili Con Carne

Chili Con Carne can be made with beef or as in this recipe, mutton (lamb, goat). Basically red meat. This recipe tries to include the goodness of pork in essence by using smoked bacon to impart an interesting dimension to the aroma. (The link is interesting.)

Serves 2-4 (depending on how greedy people get)

We need:
2 fistfuls dry kidney beans (soak them at least 7 hours)
250 gms mutton mince
2 strips smoked bacon (with fat)
5 medium sized onions
3 medium sized tomatoes
7-8 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons ground pepper
1 teaspoon red chilli powder (if using flakes, use 2 teaspoons)
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon cinnamon powder
tabasco to taste
salt to taste
cooking medium - 3 table spoons vegetable oil

Procedure:
1. Dice onions. Smash the garlic leaving the skin on - big pieces can be cut up roughly after smashing. Cut bacon into small bits about inch long.

2. Heat oil in a large heavy bottomed pressure cooker (the beans cook faster in a pressure cooker). Add bacon. Let the fat start melting and the meat go slightly red (this is when it startes smelling divine). Add the onions and garlic. Keep stirring till the onion starts to go slightly golden.

3. Add the mince. Mix well. Add the spices and herbs and a dash or more (according to your taste) of tabasco. Fry while stirring regulary to make sure the meat does not stick to the pan.

4. Cut the tomatoes is rough segments and add to the mince once the oil has separated from it. Add salt to taste. Fry till the tomatoes get soft.

5. The mince should be a nice brown by now. At this point, add about 2 and 1/2 cups water cover and leave on high heat till first whistle. Cook for another 45 mins and then leave the cooker to cool.

Serve with brown bread or brown/white rice.