Black Garlic Meatless Chili

1 tablespoon avocado or olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 green bell pepper or 2 poblanos, diced
4 mild jalapeños (or 2 regular, seeded), thinly sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons Mild Hatch Chili Garlic Salt + a pinch, divided
5 cloves mild garlic, such as Inchelium Red, minced or grated (or use 1 teaspoon Smoked Garlic Powder if you’re out of fresh)
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons cumin
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
4-6 cups vegetable broth or water
1 cup brown or french green lentils
1 32oz. jar diced tomatoes, undrained
1 15oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 bulb black garlic
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

In a large soup pot, add the olive oil and heat over medium-high. Sauté onion, green pepper, and jalapeño with a pinch of sea salt for about 5 minutes, until the onion is translucent.
Add garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds. Stir in chili powder, oregano, cumin, remaining 1 1/2 tsp. sea salt, black pepper, and cloves
Let spices toast for about a minute, then pour in vegetable broth (start with 4 cups). Stir and scrape up the toasty bits at the bottom of the pot, then add lentils. Increase heat to bring to a boil and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add tomatoes + their juices and both cans of beans. Cover the pot and reduce heat to simmer. Cook for about 30 minutes, stirring from time to time. Add more vegetable broth to thin if you like.
Peel and remove clove wrappers from black garlic bulb. Place peeled, sticky cloves into a small bowl and add the maple syrup. Mash with a fork and stir to combine, creating a thick slurry.
Remove chili from the heat and stir in black garlic and maple syrup mixture, as well as the lime juice.

This recipe is adapted from the Meaty Beany Chili found in Isa Chandra Moskowitz’s cookbook Isa Does It.