An American staple, chili brings many unique flavors together to make one savory dish. As a food that can be made in large quantities and stored in the freezer, it’s also perfect for busy college students who don’t have very much time to cook.

Ingredients

Protein — While ground beef is the most common protein found in chili, any ground meat will work. Use about a pound of meat. Alternatively, for a vegetarian version, add a wider variety of beans.

2 cups dried beans — Kidney beans and/or pinto beans. For extra flavors, you can mix in black beans, navy beans, Lima beans, garbanzo beans, lentils or split peas.

1 28 oz. can and 1 15 oz. can crushed tomatoes

1 can of tomato paste

Fresh or dried Chile peppers — Choose from chile de arbol, Serrano, Anaheim, Guajillo and chile ancho, ranged from spiciest to least spicy. Take anywhere from four to eight of these peppers, depending on the depth and types of flavor desired. Two tablespoons of chili powder can be substituted instead of peppers, if necessary.

Note: Roasting chiles for 30 seconds on medium-high heat in a dry pan will enhance their flavor — but also their spice.

3 cloves of garlic

1 onion

10 cups of stock or water — Beef, chicken, or vegetable stock or bouillon, or the flavor packets from ramen if you’ve got nothing else.

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

1 teaspoon curry powder

(optional)

Let’s get cookin’

1. Rinse beans and cover in water in a large bowl. Allow to soak overnight or for 8 hours. Then, drain and rinse. For a quicker version, use canned beans (no soaking required).

2. If using meat, place meat and garlic in a large pot with one tablespoon of oil and cook over medium heat until browned and cooked through.

3. Add beans and stock to the pot. Bring to a boil for two minutes, and simmer for 2-3 hours.

4. Add minced onions, tomatoes, sugar and seasonings. Tear up or slice the chiles and add to pot. Simmer for another hour.

5. Can be served immediately, but flavor peaks one to three days after cooking.

Serves about eight bowls