Shanghai Jimmy's Chili Rice

White Rose,
 
Thanks for the link to the D Magagine article.  I am not certain if PJ8 or another previously posted that one or not, but I don't remember it as I write this note.  I don't remember a place named "Dessert Dreams" either, but I had been away from Dallas for many years in 1985.  FYI, D, is sort of a booster  magazine for Dallas.  It has items of local interest and history and so on.  In some respects it is like the Arizona Highways magazine I remember (and which may still exist) but for a city rather than a state. 
 
So far as Shanghai Jimmy was concerned I do remember a couple of places where he vended vegetarian chili.  He used black eye peas as the main or only ingredient in lieu of beef.  I have seen some fair vegetarian concoctions using several type of beans but no where else have I seen just one variety used and with success.  But then I am partial to anything Jimmy did. 
 
I am reminded that there is a Brazilian dish where black eye peas are soaked until the hulls fall off after which they are molded/formed into balls and fried in red palm (dende) oil, I think.  Said to  be a first class artery clogger!  Fortunately I have never had any!  The name is acarje or something like.  I don't think Jimmy owed anything to that Brazilian recipe, but it is interesting to note that he used the same raw material in his vegetarian chili.
 
I've always thought that someone else trying for a vegetarian chili might try to use  that Brazilian preparation  as a starting point. 
 
Again, thank you for the post.

Rose, thanks!

OKC.. that is a new one for me. I bet that partnership never got off the ground. I have seen no other mention of Jimmy and Mary.
Joe

You're both quite welcome.

One more thing.  That article mentions the health food restaurant "Dessert Dreams" owned by a woman named Mary O'brien.  I googled health food Dallas "Mary O'brien" and came up with the following link to a review of a health food restaurant called "Dream Cafe," which was opened in 1988 by the current owner/chef Mary O'brien.  Maybe the same wonman with a new restaurant?  Maybe someone local could visit her, call her, or e-mail her.  She might be the same person?

Sorry, forgot the link:
 
http://www.dallasobserver.com/locations/dream-cafandeacute--430294/

I lived in Austin back in the '80s.  Sure wish I'd known about Shanghai Jimmy then.  This thread is making me non-stop hungry.

Good idea Rose! Thanks again.

Mellow, there was a chili rice place in Austin in the 60s when I lived there. It was much like Jimmy's. I am sure whoever opened it knew jimmy. It may have been called Charlie's Chili Rice? I ate there all the time.
Joe

Some of the not so common chili ingredients on Jimmy's LP recipe were a bay leaf, lemon juice, and sugar. This was not the recipe for his chili rice chili though.

Does anyone who had it remember a slight hint of sweetness in Jimmy's chili? There was for sure something different about his chili.
Joe

From a thread about celery a question came up, by MellowRoast, about Jimmy. Anyone floating around the net, who knew Jimmy, remember him saying why he made the LP about how to make good Texas chili? The recipe from it is on this thread somewhere. Don't be shy and please chime in.
 
I hope this was not already discussed here. I did not re read this thread.
 
OKC, any thoughts?
 
Mine are that Jimmy thought it might generate some spare change. I hope it did. Or maybe he just wanted folks to know more about Texas chili?
Joe
 

OH Mellow, Shanghai Charlie's (I hope that is what it was called) was long gone by the 80s I think? It was on a street behind the UT main drag. It was good chili rice though! Someone said Charlie's used jasmine rice but that was not my memory. It tasted just like Jimmy's Chli Rice to me. And we are pretty sure Jimmy used regular white rice of some kind.
 
The other thing you might have missed was the great tacos at the Tamale House on 1st. and Congress, right by the river. I did a thread about those tacos here years ago.
Joe

I'm sure those places were long gone by the time I got to Austin.  But talk about a town with a lot of great places to eat.

good to see the information and i like also Shanghai Jimmy's Chili Rice and its like good taste to me...

Allin, welcome to Roadfood! How did you learn about Shanghai Jimmy?
 
Mellow, Matt's El rancho was another another one of my fav places to eat in Austin. They made a round crispy Taco that I loved. Maybe they still do? It was just off I-35 back then. You might enjoy the Long Gone Austin Taco thread about the Tamale House. It's here somewhere. I would Google it instead of the search here.
Joe

Austin is where I was first introduced to the breakfast taco, and I've loved them ever since.  You can't beat the $1.50 breakfast tacos around that city.

PapaJoe8
Still no luck on finding the recipe for Jimmy's chili rice? I have been reading this post since it was started and want to try some!

HD, and others wanting to try your hand at Shanghai Jimmy's famous Chili Rice, the actual recipe is no where to be found! But... you can come close to making something like Jimmy served. by using a lean ground, or finly chopped, meat like round steak. Jimmy probable used that but I like sirloin. Jimmy may have browned the meat a bit but I have many times done it northern style by skipping the browning process and just adding water. If you do brown the meat don't drain it! Jimmy used a pat of margarine as an option to fattin it up. I like to cook the rice in butter. A quarter stick for 1 lb. of rice.
 
Born In OKC suggested using some Wick Fowler's chili seasoning but maybe just half the mix. I use it all, or sometimes Carrol Shelby's, but for a bit over 2 lbs. of meat. The kinda unusual bay leaf, sugar, and lemon juice, from Jimmy's LP record posted here earlier in the thread, (for you younger folks thats something kinda like a big CD  :~) ), are things I use. I like lime juice instead of lemon sometimes.
 
One thing I used while looking for a maybe secret ingredent was Soy Sauce. Just one tbs. per lb. of meat. You could just try adding some to a small portion to see how you like it.
 
Jimmy was known as the king of options. Chopped onions, celery, sweet relish, and "Jimmy's Sauce" that was a kinda picante type stuff, were optional toppings. I like chopped pickled jalapenos w/ mine but I am known to put that on almost anything. I may have forgotten an option or two?
 
Oh, and at least at some of his locations, Jimmy used a powdered cheese, like what comes in Mac n Cheese, as an option. I just use mild grated Cheddar of Colby. This is not added to the chili while cooking.
 
Oyster Crackers, like in were offrred as a side but you could always put some on top. This is a must have I think.
 
Jimmy put the rice, then the option of a pat margarine (not butter most think), then the option of cheese (most think under the chili), and then the chili. He served his Chili Rice and a paper cup type thing. I just use a bowl. You could order double layers of all this from Jimmy if you wanted.
 
Jimmy's recamended drink w/ Chili Rice was lemonade. It is supprisingly good w/ chili Rice! Sometimes I dring beer.
 
Is this Shanghai Jimmy's reacipe? Well his secret recipe remains just that. But... re read this thread, and take your choices above, and I think you will be on your way to making some real good Chili Rice, that is somewhat close to what made this dish so foundly remembered by most all who were lucky enough to have had it.
Joe
 
Oh, feel free to ask quistions if you like. Maybe others who have had Jimmy's Chili Rice might chime in I hope.

More about Jimmy James, go to chili-rice.com, or shanghai-jimmy.com

justinjack, your web sites do not work.
Here is a link to an RV site that has a written recipe:
http://www.fiberglassrv.c...-chili-rice-37393.html