Chili Mole Recipe

Spice Mixture:
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon anise seeds
¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Chili:
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
3 bell peppers, chopped (1 each red, green, and yellow pepper)
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
10 (15-ounce) cans beans (2 cans each garbanzo, black beans, pinto beans, canellini or navy beans, and red kidney beans), drained
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can chopped fire-roasted tomatoes, undrained
1 ½ ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt
Coarsely ground black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoon honey

Garnishes:
Shredded sharp Cheddar or Monterey jack cheese
Diced raw onion
Pickled jalapenos
Sour cream or yogurt
Chopped cilantro and avocado
Salsa

1. To prepare the spice mixture, combine all ingredients in a small bowl.
2. To prepare the chili, heat oil in a large Dutch oven. Add spice mixture, onions, peppers and garlic; sauté until vegetables are tender. Add remaining ingredients; stir well. Simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Serve hot with any or all of the garnishes. Serves 8 to 10.

Recipe by Crescent Dragonwagon, Relish Vegetarian Cooking, March 2008.