Black Bean Chili

By bakers_delight85

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs. dried black beans, rinsed and picked over (3 cups)
• 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil, preferably canola oil
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 Tbsp. sweet Hungarian paprika
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 2 Tbsp. chili powder
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 6-8 sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed), chopped (1/3 cup)
• 1 28-oz. can tomatoes, (with juices), seeded and chopped
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• Salt to taste
• 1 Tbsp. cider vinegar
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro plus sprigs for garnish
• 6 Tbsp. nonfat plain yogurt or fromage blanc for garnish

Preparation

Step 1

Soak beans overnight in water. Drain. Heat 1 tsp. oil over medium heat in a large stockpot or Dutch oven. Add 1 cup onions and 2 tsp. garlic and sauté for 5 minutes, or until the onions begin to soften. Add beans, about 8 cups water or enough to cover the beans by an inch, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, toast cumin seeds in a dry heavy skillet over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes, shaking the skillet or stirring constantly, until they begin to color. Remove from heat and add paprika and cayenne. Stir together for about 30 seconds in the hot pan. Grind the spices together in an electric spice mill or blender. Add chili powder and oregano.
In a second large stockpot or Dutch oven, heat the remaining 2 tsp. oil and sauté the remaining 1 cup onions over medium-low heat until they soften, about 5 minutes. Add 2 tsp. garlic and green peppers and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add the spice mixture and dried tomatoes and sauté for about 3 to 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot carefully so that the spices don’t burn. If they cake on the bottom of the pan, add a little water. Add tomatoes, sugar and about ½ tsp. salt and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring often.
Add the beans with their liquid to the tomato mixture. Add the remaining 2 tsp. garlic. Stir everything together and simmer, covered, for an hour or two, until the beans are thoroughly tender and the broth is thick and fragrant. If you want a thicker chili, simmer, uncovered or partially covered, for the final hour of cooking. Remove bay leaf and stir in vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. (The chili can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat before serving.)
Just before serving, stir in chopped cilantro. Garnish each portion with yogurt or fomage blanc and a sprig of cilantro.