Orange Pot: A Mandalorian Form of Chili
Frequently found in Mandalorian homes is a slow cooker or a large pot constantly bubbling away. Ingredients that make their way into that pot tend to be the kind that do well with long cooking, such as beans, root vegetables, and sausage or ground meats.
I promise the name sounds better in Mando'a (lying through my teeth because I haven't yet learned the word for "orange")
Using a pepper base rather than a tomato base, this recipe still should feel familiar with the ground meat and beans, though the selections will be a little different.
Ingredients:
- 2 large bell peppers (orange, red, or yellow)
- 1 or 2 carrots, finely diced
- 1 yellow onion
- 1 tbsp each turmeric and ginger paste
- 1 tbsp Spice Paste (or red curry paste)
- neutral oil for cooking
- Enough water or broth to cover
Start by blooming the pastes in oil until fragrant, and then adding the vegetable and broth and cooking these ingredients on the stove until soft. Blend into a fine puree. (This can be made ahead and stored in the freezer, but if you intend to dehydrate it, just cook the vegetables, turmeric, and ginger in enough water to puree down and leave out the oil and spices to prevent spoilage. Remember to add the seasonings back in when reconstituting.)
Then for the orange pot:
- 1 or 2 pounds ground beef, sausage with casings removed, or prepared soya chunks
- 2 cups of soaked and clean white beans such as navy or great northern
- Another onion, diced
- Recommended seasoning: clan Kelmar'e spice powder, smoked paprika, sweet paprika, ginger, garlic, MSG, white pepper, salt. A scoop of tomato paste is optional.
To build the layers in the cooking pot, start by browning the meat. With the fat that renders off (or with added oil, in the case of soya chunks), fry the onions. If you don't, they tend to take on an unpleasant flavor in the slow cooker. Dump the meat into the bottom of the pot, followed by the onion, and then the prepared beans. Salt and season generously, and then pour on the prepared soup base. Then cook on low until the flavors have nicely melded and the beans are done to satisfaction.
Frequently served with hand-shaped dumplings or noodles and pinch bowls of fried onions and crispy greens.
