'Warm me up' South Indian Chili- vegan

A South Indian take on the comforting chili, with lots of flavors in addition to nutrition, made with super ease in an instant pot.

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 15

Course Main Course

Servings 6 people

4 1/2 cups beans of your choice (I used black, red kidney, pinto mix ) about 3 cans total drained washed - see notes if using raw beans
2 tomatoes- chopped
3 bell peppers - colors of your choice - chopped
3/4 cup frozen corn
3/4 cup fresh or frozen green mango
1 1/2 cup chopped red onions
3 green chilies- chopped
3 garlic cloves-chopped
2 sprigs curry leaves
2 cups water
1 cup extra beans to add at the end
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1 Tsp oil

Soak the beans of your choice atleast for 6 hours., in water standing about 1 inch above the beans.
Then, place the soaked beans in instant pot and cook on high pressure for 10 min. Manually release the pressure and take the cooked beans into a bowl.
If using a stove top pressure cooker, cook the beans till 3 whistles and turn off the stove. Take the cooked beans into a bowl.
Whichever way you cook your beans, save 1 cup separately in a bowl to be added at the end.

Add little oil to the instant pot and on saute mode once hot, add the curry leaves. Then add chopped garlic. Once garlic aroma is emanating, add the chopped onions, green chilies.
Let them saute for 2 min, then add the bell peppers and corn. Keep sautéing, and add the tomatoes, green mango pieces.
Then add the spices-red chili powder, cumin, coriander powders, salt, black pepper. Mix well.
Add the drained washed canned beans or cooked beans ( if used raw). Then add the water.
Put the lid on, and pressure cook for 10min in instant pot. After the cycle is completed, manually release the pressure.
Take a potato masher or immersion blender and mash the chili to your desired texture.
Then add the extra beans that were set aside along with shredded coconut. Mix well and the spicy, tangy south Indian flavored chili is ready to be enjoyed.
Top it with avocado, onions, cilantro, coconut cream, coconut flakes, broken appadam pieces...the possibilities are endless.

The steps are same as above, but just cook the veggies/ beans after adding spices with whistle on till 2 whistles and let the cooker cool before opening it. Use a masher for desired consistency , add extra beans for texture and enjoy with added toppings.

I prefer soaking raw beans and then using them to make chili, because they are less salty and cook better with longer soaking.

You can use any mix of beans, and I loved 1:1:1 ratio of black beans, pinto beans and kidney beans.

Feel free to use any vegetables that you have on hand. After all, at the end, you will mash them a bit anyway.

Eat the chili like a meal, or as a side or just dip your tortilla chips/ rotis. But enjoy the warm bowl bursting with flavors and nutrition.

If you need more spice, add more red chili powder, and to tone down add a bit of coconut/ cashew cream.

Want a meaty texture- add crumbled tofu that you can pre bake. Or use ground pecan mixture as well.