Thursday

Chilli beef and beans

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick
Ingredients
1 Tblsp vegetable oil
1 large red onion, finely chopped
1 tsp crushed garlic
400gm extra lean minced beef
1 – 3 tsp chilli paste
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp dried thyme
300ml beef stock
1 x 400gm can chopped tomatoes
1 green pepper, chopped
3 Tblsp tomato puree
1 Tblsp cocoa powder
1 x 400gm can red kidney beans
200ml fat free natural yoghurt
240gm rice

Method
Pour the oil into a large saucepan
Fry the onion and garlic until the onion starts to soften.
Add the mince and stir fry until the mince becomes crumbly and brown.
Now you can add the chilli paste, paprika, cumin and thyme.
Give everything a good stir.
Pour in the stock and tomatoes and tomato paste and toss in the chopped pepper.
Cover with a lid, bring to the boil and then reduce the heat to minimum.
Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Mix the cocoa to a paste with a little water.
Add this to the mince along with the beans and stir well.
Simmer for another 10 minutes.
Check the seasoning – you will want to add salt and black pepper, and perhaps some tobacco.
Remove from the heat and let it stand for 10 minutes before serving.

While the flavours of the chilli are all mingling, cook the rice in lightly salted water.
Drain well.

Serve the chilli over the rice, with a tablespoon of yoghurt.

I ran out of chilli paste making this so I bolstered the flavour with tobasco sauce. You can barely taste 1 teaspoon of chilli paste – it needs more.