Come On Over For Your Bowl of *Cheezy-Lime White Chili*...

    "Now's your chance. What do YOU want to create?" I asked Trina recently. It was a preliminary NC session-- the part when we hang out and catch up about Life, then discuss and plan our spicy NC projects. I usually have options and possibilities to play around with, in which case I rattle them off wait for a spark of interest to flare up...and we go from there. (Curiousity, after all, is our Pied Piper.) We may have a recipe to finalize. Or a photo shoot.

           "I have no plans today," said I. "It's all you, babe. What would YOU like to create? What do you think the NC needs? Anything--"

          "Chicken chili," she said, with uncharacteristic certainty. "Like, one of those white chilis. I've always wanted to make that."

         "Hey, sounds great. I like it," I said.

          And we brainstormed from there...

RECIPE B-R-E-A-K-D-O-W-N

  "I'm thinking of taking it somewhat gentle with this chili," I mused. "The spicing, I mean. Gentle...yet robust. (Trina patiently waited.) I want the spicing to be light, yet warm and hearty. (Trina patiently waited.) And what do you think of a tiny hint of coconut?"

"Ooh!"

"So that's a yes then? Ok. You know, I'm wanting a little ajwain in this chili....."

Trina admitted to not being familiar enough with ajwain to say.

"Oh but you should be, considering you're the `North Indian spicing-type.' It looks a lot like cumin seeds, but a little smaller. Strong, bold, great in hearty wintery dishes. Yes we're adding a bit of ajwain."

She wrote it down.

*     *     *

"You know, this chili would be cool to make with leftover chicken or turkey pieces..." I said to Trobee as she was taking happy bites by the stove.

"Oh, like after Thanksgiving! Frick yeah this would be wonderful for that."

"It would be a fast-easy-healthyish way to use up the extras too," I mused. Ah me.

*     *     *

When we cooked up the vegetarian version, Trobee was rather impressed at the ease in substituting the tofu for the chicken. (Yes, we froze it, then pressed out its liquid before using.)

Well, she was a bit leery at first as to the chili's end consistency, being that tofu absorbs rather than exudes as meat does: "Wow, tofu can really suck in all those juices!"

But in the end all was well with the world. I was thrilled with the tofu version. Trina, of course, is all about the chicken. Trobee is, as you might have guessed, a red-meat in red-chili kind of girl, but she approved of this. Knowing her high standards of chili, one of the few boldly spiced American dishes, this was a feat. (She'll let us in on her barbaric style of chili sometime in the future. Stay tuned.)

*     *     *

"Tro, I have a question for you. Come on over. Step into my office."

Trobee broke away from battle with the NC fridge's icemaker, and took a seat in my corner of the kitchen. "What up, Courty?"

"It's the chili," I told her. "The white chili that we cooked up the other day. I know it was good. Very good. But was it outstanding. Y'know...good enough for Our People."

  "Hell yeah it's outstanding. I'm gonna make some of that at home. Jeremy would really like it, I'm thinking."

"Should we call it chili...or should we call it stew? Cause people hear the word 'chili' and they think of the typical red-brown--"

"Oh, no," she affirmed. "It's chili. White chili. Well it's not really white, but whatever. Why? Are you not gonna do a post on it?" Her voice had suddenly become very loud.

"Oh, yeah," I assured her. "Just making sure."

"It's awesome. I love it."

"Ok. That's all I needed to know."

photos by Trina and Trobee

---

Cheezy-Lime Chicken Chili

• 2 chicken breasts, cubed OR 1 lb. firm tofu (frozen, pressed, cubed)
• 1 cup diced red onion
• 2 tsp garlic paste or minced garlic cloves
• 1 can (15 oz .) Great Northern white beans, with liquid --any light-colored beans would probably be OK
• 1 cup diced frozen mixed vegetables (like corn, peas, carrots)
• 1/2 cup diced tomatoes, with liquid
• 3/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth
• juice from 1/2 a lime
• 1/2 tsp ginger powder
• 2 TB coconut powder
• 1/3 cup light or soy sour cream
• 2/3 cup shredded cheese (we used Mexican-flavored)
• salt

Masala:

1 TB cumin seeds
1 TB coriander seeds
1/4 tsp ajwain seeds
1 inch cinnamon stick
2 whole cloves
7 curry leaves
1/4 tsp black peppercorns

1) Get out your large skillet. Dry roast the masala until the cumin seeds have darkened a few shades. Then dump them in your coffee grinder and whiz it into a powder. Set aside
2) Back to the skillet. Heat the oil until it is sizzle-hot, then add the onion and the garlic. Saute until the onion gets soft is beginning to turn clear.
3) Add the chicken or tofu pieces. When almost cooked through, add the masala and fry for a few more minutes.
4) Now add the beans with their liquid, the tomatoes, the mixed vegetables, and the broth. Bring it to a boil, then cover it and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5) Add the sour cream, shredded cheese, lime juice, coconut powder, ginger powder and salt. Mix well. Done.

*To serve, you can add a little more sour cream and cheese on top. You know you want to.