Red, Black, and Gold Chili

We happened to have a bag of bulghur wheat and needed to find some recipes for it. This one was surprisingly tasty; the whole family likes it. (Not that we need yet another chili recipe, but this is definitely different from our others. The bulghur adds a nice nutty flavor and chewiness that makes it almost taste like a meat chili.)

Adapted from Moosewood Cooks at Home

Ingredients:
1/2 c bulghur wheat
1/2 c hot water
3 15-oz cans diced tomatoes (undrained)
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1 Tbsp olive oil
3 c chopped onions
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp salt
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2 red bell peppers (or green, if you want to add another color to the chili)
2 c canned (drained) or frozen cut corn
14 oz can black beans, drained/rinsed
14 oz can red kidney beans, drained/rinsed

Directions:
1. Place the bulghur, hot water, and 1 c juice from the canned tomatoes in a small saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently (stir occasionally to prevent burning)
2. In a large saucepan, heat oil and saute the onions, garlic, cumin, chili powder, cayenne, and salt. When the onions are soft, add the bell peppers and saute for 5 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes, corn, and beans, and heat thoroughly on low heat.
3. When bulghur is cooked but still chewy, add to the saucepan and stir well. Cover saucepan and simmer 10+ minutes until desired texture.

Serve plain or topped with grated cheese and fresh cilantro (Monterey Jack or "Mexican 4-cheese mix" are good options).