Beanless Indian Shredded “Beef” Chili
Updated Mar 02, 2021, Published Oct 09, 2013
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Years ago, I taught a course called “Food for Thought,” in which we examined food from different cultures. When the assignment about traditional family recipes came up, one student from Pakistan offered his mother’s “Beef Chili,” slow-cooked shredded beef in a thick, spicy tomato sauce and without any beans. I was immediately intrigued, but never did try the recipe. Here I’ve revised the original using jackfruit (a staple of Malaysian or Filipino cuisine), as it resembles shredded beef perfectly once cooked. Be sure to buy cans of young jackfruit in salty brine, not the sweetened ones that are used for desserts.
Beanless Indian Shredded “Beef” Chili
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, , chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, , minced
- 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon mild curry powder
- 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, , or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon chili flakes, , or to taste
- 1 (15-ounce) can young jackfruit in brine, drained and well rinsed
- 2 cups vegetable stock or broth
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 10-15 drops plain liquid stevia, , or to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Cooked basmati rice, , if desired
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger. Cook until the onion is translucent. Sprinkle with the chili powder, curry powder, mustard seeds, cumin, salt, and chili flakes and continue to cook for 3-5 minutes, until the onion is coated and the spices are fragrant.
- Add the jackfruit and broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes, until the liquid is almost all evaporated and the jackfruit begins to soften. Use 2 forks to gently pull the jackfruit apart into shreds.
- Pour the crushed tomatoes into the pot with the stevia and lemon juice and stir to combine. Cover and continue to simmer until the sauce is dark, thickened, and the jackfruit is tender. Serve over hot rice. (Can be frozen and reheated later.)
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
