Vegetarian Mexican Chili for Tacos Recipe – Made from Horse Gram

The Vegetarian Mexican Chili for Tacos Recipe is a classic dish of the Mexican Cuisine that is usually had along with Taco’s or Mexican Rice. The Chillies are traditionally made from a variety of beans, but in this recipe, I have used Horse Gram and Mexican spices making this Chilli wholesome and yet delicious.    Horse Gram Dal (Kollu/ Kulith), Onion, Celery, Pickled Jalapenos, Garlic, Tomato, Red Chilli powder, Cumin powder (Jeera), Dried oregano, Bay leaf (tej patta), Black pepper powder, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Salt   1 cup Horse Gram Dal (Kollu/ Kulith) , soaked for 4 hours 1 Onion , finely chopped 2 Stalk Celery , finely chopped 2 Pickled Jalapenos , finely chopped 3 cloves Garlic , finely chopped 1 Tomato , finely chopped 1/2 teaspoon Red Chilli powder 2 teaspoons Cumin powder (Jeera) , roasted 1 teaspoon Dried oregano 1 Bay leaf (tej patta) 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper powder , adjustable 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil Salt , to taste     10   60     To begin making the Vegetarian Mexican Chili, we will first cook the Horse Gram Lentils. We will cook the soaked horse gram using the pressure cooker method.  You can also cook it in a saucepan if you prefer that method. Place the soaked horse gram in the pressure cooker, along with 2 cups of water. Cover the pan, place the weight on and pressure cook the horse gram until you hear 5 to 6 whistles. After a couple of whistles, turn the heat to low and simmer the horse gram for 10 to 15 minutes. After 10 to 15 minutes turn off the heat. Allow the pressure to release naturally. Open the cooker, if there is excess water from the lentils, then drain the excess liquids and keep it aside in a separate bowl. We will use it for the chiles as and when required. The next step is to make the spice base for the Mexican Chili. Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan on medium heat. Add minced garlic, the onions, the celery stalk and stir-fry until the onions and celery are tender. Once tender, add the chopped tomatoes, jalapenos, along with chili powder, ground cumin, bay leaf, dried oregano, black pepper, and cook until tomato become soft and well cooked. Now add the cooked horse gram lentils along with 2 tablespoons of reserved water. Give the Mexican Chili a brisk boil.Once it comes to a brisk boil, cover the pan, turn the heat to low and simmer the Vegetarian Mexican Chili for about 10 minutes and turn off the heat. Check the salt and spices and adjust to suit your taste.Transfer the Vegetarian Mexican Chili to a serving bowl. Serve it along with Taco Shells, a Lettuce Salad, sour cream, and grated cheddar cheese.