Updated: Feb 26
This is easily one of my favourite dishes and my go to dish for guests! Most people who have come to mine for dinner will have had this at some point!
Its simple to cook, easy to make in big batches, it's filling and full of flavour! What more could you want?!
INGREDIENTS (SERVES 4)
FOR THE CHILLI • 2 cups of pre soaked and cooked black beans (or two shop bought tins) • Half a standard 280g block of Smoked Tofu • Half a cup of TVP mince - plus half a tsp of veg stock to cook it in • 1 red onion, finely chopped • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped • 1 tsp garlic granules • 1 500ml carton tomato passata • 1 heaped tsp chipotle chilli paste (this makes a mild chilli (I am a wimp when it comes to spice) Just add more if you can handle your heat!) • 1/2 cup vegan vegetable stock - I use marigold bouillon powder • 2 tbsp soy sauce (roughly- it's not an exact science!- extra dribbles in- no worries!) • a small squeeze agave syrup - (just a little squirt to balance the acidity from the passatta) • A big old handful of beautiful fresh coriander • A glug of cooking oil (I like rapeseed or olive) FOR THE TORTILLA CHIPS • 2 shop bought large tortilla wraps • Rapeseed or olive oil • salt • pepper • garlic granules TO SERVE (all optional) • Rice/ cous cous • Avocado • Cucumber • mixed seeds • hummus
METHOD
1. First prepare the mince. TVP mince consists of dry pieces of vegetable protein that need to be added to water. So get your mince, place in a sauce pan with just enough vegetable stock to cover it by about a cm (ish- please don't go and get a ruler!!). Put it on a medium heat for a couple of minutes and the dry mince should absorb the water and fluff up nicely. Add a little water if you need to. Then set the mince to one side. 2. In a frying pan, put a little oil, the onion and garlic and fry them a little to soften them. Then add in the beans, mince, passata, veggie stock, chipotle chilli paste, garlic granules, soy sauce, agave syrup and coriander. Give it a good stir. Crumble in the smoked tofu (try to keep the pieces small- breaking up any big chunks if you can). 3. Turn down the heat and let it all simmer for about 10 minutes (you want the sauce to thicken a little (if you have a lid for your frying pan, make sure it ISN'T on the pan- you need the evaporation process to happen here)) 4. Meanwhile, cut your tortilla wraps in to triangles, place on a baking tray and drizzle a generous glug of oil over them, sprinkle garlic granules, salt and pepper on top and then use your hands to move them around and make sure each piece is coated in oil, salt and pepper. 5. Put the tortillas in the oven on a medium heat for about 10 minutes, turning them half way to evenly cook. You might find that the top tortilla chips, cook quicker and start to brown.. when they are golden, take the tops ones out and put them aside on a plate- this gives the others a chance to cook in the oven. 6. Keep checking in on the tortilla chips and the chilli- stirring and turning! While you wait, you could prepare your rice/ cous cous, mash your avocado and cut up your cucumber in to small squares (if you are having all the extra stuff). 7. When the chilli is thickened and the tortillas are golden, you can plate up! Use your own judgement here! You might like your chilli a little runny, you might like it thicker. Little note on the tortillas- they will continue cooking outside of the oven- a lot of the crisping up will happen as they cool, so don't worry too much if they seem a little soft to begin with. 8. Serve with any of the optional extras and a blob of hummus on top (that really adds a creamy loveliness- I highly recommend!) and enjoy!
