Smoky lentil and black bean chilli

Here’s a quick and easy midweek-meal for you this week, a family favourite that doesn’t take too long to rustle up and can be used in all sorts of ways to change things up a bit. This is my smoky lentil and black bean chilli - it’s vegan friendly, a little bit spicy (but not too much) and full of the fresh and smoky flavours of summer.

For my recipe, I use tinned pulses for ease, but you could substitute them for dried if that’s more your style (don’t forget to prepare them first as per the packet instructions). I use green lentils and black beans, but really you could swap in any bean in similar quantities and still make a delicious meal. I would also definitely recommend including the lime spring onions as a topping, inspired from a noodle recipe in Mob’s Mob Veggie cookbook. They take very little time and effort to prepare and add a delicious fresh crunch to the finished dish!

This chilli can be used in all sorts of ways; served with some golden rice and yoghurt like a traditional chilli, thrown into a jacket potato or even served as part of a delicious plate of nachos with plenty of cheese and guacamole - our favourite way of eating it! Leftovers freeze well, and if anything the flavours only improve over time.

However you decide to serve your chilli, enjoy it!

Smoky lentil and black bean chilli

Serves: 4 | Total time: 45 mins | Source: vicki cooks veggie

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp rapeseed oil (or other vegetable oil)

• 1 white onion

• 1 red pepper

• 2 cloves garlic

• 2 tsp mild chilli powder (or hot if you want it really spicy!)

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• ½ tsp cinnamon

• ½ tsp cumin

• 2 tsp chipotle paste

• 1 tbsp tomato purée

• 400g (14oz) tinned tomatoes

• 1 tin green lentils (about 400g/14oz)

• 1 tin black beans (about 400g/14oz)

• 150g (5oz) tinned or frozen sweetcorn

• 1 tbsp lime juice (half a lime)

• 15g (½oz) fresh coriander

• Salt and pepper

  Optional:

• 4 spring onions

• 1 tbsp lime juice (half a lime)

• Salt

Method

• Start by chopping your white onion and red pepper into rough chunks. Crush and chop the two cloves of garlic.

• Get a large pan over a medium heat and add 1 tbsp rapeseed oil. Once the oil is hot, add your onion, pepper and garlic to the pan and fry for about 5 minutes, or until the onion starts to turn translucent.

• Add 2 tsp chipotle paste and 1 tbsp tomato purée to the pan and cook the pastes out for about 1 minute. Next, add 2 tsp mild chilli powder, 1 tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp cinnamon and ½ tsp cumin to the pan, again stirring well for about a minute. Make sure that the spices don’t burn!

• Next, add your tinned tomatoes, green lentils, black beans and sweetcorn to the pan and stir well. Half fill your tomato can with cold water, and add this to the chilli. Season with salt and pepper and let the chilli gently simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the tomatoes have cooked down and the sauce has thickened.

• While the chilli is bubbling away, prepare your spring onions (if including). Wash and chop 4 spring onions into 1cm thick rounds and place in a small dish. Add 1 tbsp lime juice (or half a lime) to the onions with a good pinch of fine salt and “scrunch” well with your fingers. Set aside for later.

• Once your chilli is ready, stir in the remaining 1 tbsp/half a lime’s worth of lime juice. Chop up your coriander, both stalks and leaves, and stir the majority into the chilli, leaving a small handful to sprinkle over the top.

• Serve with a dollop of yoghurt (plant based or otherwise), the remaining coriander and the limey spring onions scattered over the top.