Vegetarian mains
Veggie chilli with avocado, soured cream & tortillas
A classic vegetarian chilli, with a little dark chocolate – the key to extra richness in any chilli.
Cook's notes
If you're not a fan of spiciness, add just half the pot of chilli flakes, as they can be a bit piquant. We've served the chilli with some spelt tortillas. Spelt is an ancient grain and many people find it easier to digest than normal wheat products. Keep your avocado out of the fridge unless it's already got a little give when gently pressed, then refrigerate. To help ripen it slightly if needs be, place in a paper bag with a banana for 24 hours or so.
Ingredients
- 1 onion
- 1 large or 2 small carrots
- 1 red pepper
- 1 celery stick
- oil for frying, e.g. sunflower or light olive
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tin red kidney beans
- ¼ tsp dried chilli flakes – add to taste
- 1 tsp tomato purée
- 20g chocolate
- 1 tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 cucumber
- 1 avocado
- 1 lime
- 4 spelt tortillas
- 50g grated cheddar
- 100ml soured cream
- salt and pepper
- ½ tsp dried oregano,
- ½ tsp paprika,
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika,
- ½ tsp ground cumin,
- ½ tsp ground coriander
Method
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Step 1
Peel and finely dice the onion. Wash and peel the carrot(s). Wash, halve and deseed the pepper. Wash the celery. Chop all 3 veg into about 1cm dice. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan.
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Step 2
Fry all the above veg over a low heat for 10 minutes, stirring now and then and adding a splash of water if they look like they might catch and burn. Meanwhile, peel and finely chop or crush the garlic clove. Drain the red kidney beans into a colander. Rinse under cold water.
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Step 3
After 10 minutes, add the garlic, chilli flakes (add the chilli flakes to taste – all or half, depending on your preference for heat), the spices and tomato purée. Stir for 2 minutes. Add the chocolate, red kidney beans and tinned tomatoes to the cooking veg.
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Step 4
Refill the tin with water and add that too. Bring the pan up to a low boil. Simmer for 25 minutes, until the veg is tender. Top up with a little water if needed to stop it becoming too gloopy. Meanwhile, wash and finely dice half of the cucumber.
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Step 5
Halve and de-stone the avocado, then finely dice. Mix with the cucumber, the juice from half the lime and a pinch of salt. When the chilli is cooked, gently warm the tortillas in a large dry frying pan for a couple of minutes (you can lay them on top of each other and just rotate them now and then).
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Step 6
Alternatively, you can place them under a warm grill for a couple of minutes or rub them with a little oil and griddle for more colour, if you have one. Divide the chilli between 2 serving bowls. Serve with a dollop of soured cream, the cheese, the cucumber and avocado salsa and warmed tortillas.