January 10, 2002

Prairie Fare: Chili is Hot

By Julie Garden-Robinson, Food and Nutrition Specialist
NDSU Extension Service

The other day my colleagues had an interesting lunch discussion in my absence. Since it was about food, I heard all about it. Someone was probably quietly enjoying a bowl of chili, which launched a discussion about why chili is named as such. After all, it’s not "chilly," it’s hot. Of course, they were joking. Well, I think they were. So I went on a chili fact-finding mission, and this column is for my chili-head-wannabe colleagues.

Chili, a type of thick soup, gets its name from the chili peppers or powder it contains. The term "chili," as applied to peppers, actually has three different and correct spellings: "chilli, chile and chili." Of course, none of the words refer to a cool serving temperature. Chili peppers don’t cool down your mouth, either.

Chili peppers have an interesting history. Columbus believed he had reached the Far East and all its spices when he landed in America. When he spotted chili peppers, he thought they were a different kind of black pepper. He brought peppers with him to the Iberian Peninsula, and the popularity of these flavorful foods spread around the world. Hot peppers became widely used in Thai and Indian cuisine, in addition to South American dishes.

Known for their spiciness, chili peppers vary widely in their degree of heat, which is measured in Scoville heat units. In general, the smaller the pepper, the hotter it is. Much of the heat is concentrated in the veins, so be cautious when handling hot peppers. Wear plastic gloves if possible, and don’t rub your eyes. Nutritionally, both sweet green bell peppers and hot peppers are excellent sources of vitamin C.

Chili, as a type of soup or stew, also has an interesting history, and among chili enthusiasts, it’s hotly debated. Most say that chili dates back to the cowboys of the mid-19th century. The inventive cooks used whatever kind of meat they encountered to feed the hungry cowboys. So dinner on the trail may have included anything from rattlesnake to venison. The trail chefs also added chili peppers, onions and garlic.

In Texas, in particular, beans were not allowed in the cooking pot. Chili "con carne" literally means chili with meat. Some chili purists also say that chili should only be made with chunks of meat or coarsely ground meat, not finely ground meat.

"Cincinnati chili," on the other hand is made from ground meat, chili powder and spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and cumin. It’s served over spaghetti and may be topped with cheese, onion or kidney beans.

Although using them is controversial among chili purists, kidney beans are a popular ingredient in chili in many parts of the United States. They’re a low-cost meat extender and a very healthy one at that. Kidney beans, named because of their kidney-like shape, are an excellent source of folate and a good source of minerals like iron, magnesium and potassium.

Tomatoes are a common chili ingredient, too. Not only are tomatoes a source of vitamin C, they may protect against some types of cancer. If you’re male, eat plenty of cooked tomatoes. The pigment responsible for the red color, lycopene, has been shown to reduce the risk of prostate cancer.

So, eat up, because chili is hot. Here’s a chili recipe with the best of all worlds: tomatoes, peppers, ground beef and beans. It’s a great one-dish meal served with crackers or cornmeal muffins, lowfat milk and canned or fresh fruit for dessert.

Chili

1 lb. ground beef
1 c. chopped onion
1/4 c. chopped green pepper 
(or substitute some hot peppers as desired)
1 16 oz. can tomatoes (about 2 cups), broken apart
1 16 oz. can dark red kidney beans, drained
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 tsp. salt
1 to 2 tsp. chili powder

In heavy skillet, cook meat, onion and green pepper until meat is browned and vegetables are tender. Drain excess fat completely. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover; simmer 1 hour. Makes 4 servings. Each serving contains about 420 calories, 18 grams of fat, a full day’s supply of vitamin C, 42 percent of the daily recommendation for vitamin A and over 20 percent of the daily recommendation for folate.

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Source: Julie Garden-Robinson, (701) 231-7187, jgardenr@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu