[SPOILERS] scooter's PB53

[Amicalola]

Cantonese people traditionally can't eat spicy food at all, so chili is a big no for me.

I'm sure there are purists who would argue with me, but you can make a very tasty (if slightly inauthentic) chili without making it spicy. If you've never tried it and have a large pot, I'd recommend giving something like that a go. Chili has great flavour even without a kick.

[Cyneheard]

You're right in a general sense that the southern provinces Hunan, Guizhou, Chongqing, and Yunnan feature a lot of spicy dishes, but on the coast from Guangxi to Fujian, they have a different mix of ingredients and influences from regional trade.

Here's a starting point for cornbread: https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/so...cornbread/ . I'd personally go with a split of cornmeal and flour and a bit less butter/grease than what they've called for, omit the sugar entirely and keep the egg.

Now it's the other players' turns to quake in fear at the activity!

Lurkers of the threads, JOIN ME IN TROLLING CORNFLAKES!

[BRickAstley]

Chili is amazing *if* it is done right, I have had many mediocre chilis so I understand anyone not liking it.

It's also best as part of a chili cheese dog, which you make a bunch of and then invite people over for food and a November football game. FWIW.

[Cyneheard]

invite people over for food and a November football game. FWIW.

God I wish that was an actual option right now.

[scooter]

So, how many people am I gonna piss off with my "chili is basically fine but generally overrated" take?

WTF! I missed wherever this originally came from but chili is amazing!

EDIT: Agree with my non-scooter colleagues, thick chili with saltines is great, and cornbread and chili is great.

My favorite local DC place (http://www.hardtimes.com/locations/) used to have like 15 locations, but the three most convenient to me shut down due to lack of business. Now I find out scooter hates chili and probably wouldn't patronize. Coincidence?!

I don't hate it! I just think it's almost always vastly overhyped.

Living in the midwest, its a cultural fall/winter meal. Make a shitload and then eat it over a couple days because it gets BETTER after sitting. ( i dip saltines into mine like a dip cuz i like my chili to be ThiCC

Also a midwesterner, so yeah, typical late fall weekends at someone else's house is like 70% likely to feature chili and football.

It's also best as part of a chili cheese dog

Yes, THIS I'm much more on board for. This is kind of my argument. Chili is a complimentary food, not the main event.

[NobleHelium]

Cantonese people traditionally can't eat spicy food at all, so chili is a big no for me.

I always understood that the further south in China you go,  the hotter it gets, but that's wrong then? Is that just limited to Guangdong(?), or does the wider region not eat spicy?

And can somebody recommend a cornbread recipe to me who has never even had it? I've been feeling lately that I need a bit more variance while cooking.

Not sure exactly.  But Guangzhou is culturally closer to Hong Kong than it is to the rest of Guangdong.  I am under the impression that places like Sichuan like it spicier than the the southern provinces in general. Of course once you get even further south, countries like Vietnam like it spicy too.

I'm sure there are purists who would argue with me, but you can make a very tasty (if slightly inauthentic) chili without making it spicy. If you've never tried it and have a large pot, I'd recommend giving something like that a go. Chili has great flavour even without a kick.

How do you make nonspicy chili?  How is it chili without the namesake pepper?

[BRickAstley]

invite people over for food and a November football game. FWIW.

God I wish that was an actual option right now.

I definitely don't want to get unto the unfortunate politicization of masks and social distancing.

But I will say that if you have a nice sizable porch or back deck that you can space out on and bring a TV out on, it is 100% doable while maintaining social distancing. Just takes additional intentionality and planning.

[superdeath]

I'm sure there are purists who would argue with me, but you can make a very tasty (if slightly inauthentic) chili without making it spicy. If you've never tried it and have a large pot, I'd recommend giving something like that a go. Chili has great flavour even without a kick.

How do you make nonspicy chili?  How is it chili without the namesake pepper?

Non spicy ( bad version, but the version grandma's and flavor haters would like ): 2 pounds ground beef (brown it), 2 large cans of your favorite bean, 2 large cans of tomato sauce, a small can of tomato paste... and then stir occasionally on a low/medium heat till temp is how you want it.

Better version: Same thing as above but you actually add your desired level of HEAT to it. I like a bit of heat in my chili but not ghost pepper level where i cant enjoy my food, so i usually use Mccormick brand chili seasoning and then i add some cayenne pepper powder into it till the taste is about right.


Typical additions TO THE CHILI: Saltine crackers, shredded cheese, cheese dogs.

Chili is the meal, not a side. At a big party/whatever? it is an additional Main Course. Dont let the non-mid-westerners fool you.

[shallow_thought]

You can also choose which chillies to use. My wife does a lovely mild version with ancho chillies, which seem to be fruity rather than too hot. Also has dark chocolate melted in.

Don't get me wrong, I love (if not quite as much as I used to) spicy food, but it's not the be-all and end-all.

[Amicalola]

I'm sure there are purists who would argue with me, but you can make a very tasty (if slightly inauthentic) chili without making it spicy. If you've never tried it and have a large pot, I'd recommend giving something like that a go. Chili has great flavour even without a kick.

How do you make nonspicy chili?  How is it chili without the namesake pepper?

I would argue great chili is more about the flavour than the heat, though that is admittedly a non-American perspective. As far as how to make it if you are genuinely interested, this recipe from a popular site here is a good one; if you omit the cayenne pepper, it shouldn't be spicy at all. It's not labour intensive, but you would want to be home for a few hours just to stir the pot occasionally while it's cooking. This is an only slightly more labor intensive, but nicer, version. I'd recommend using additional real onions and garlic instead of powders for either, but that's up to you. I also agree that chili is best when you have guests over.

If you want to make it slightly less heart-attack-inducing (which goes for all chili), adding spinach or silverbeet at the end doesn't affect the flavour, but does give it a little more textural variety (especially the latter) and gives it some needed vitamins. A piece or two of Dark chocolate also goes a long way.

Cornflakes must be real spooked right now, huh.