Serves 4
Preparation time 5 minutes
Cooking time about 1 hour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped
1 red pepper, cored, deseeded and cut into cubes
2 garlic cloves, crushed
500 g (1 lb) minced beef
450 ml (¾ pint) beef stock
½–1 teaspoon chilli powder
475 g (15 oz) canned red kidney beans, drained
400 g (13 oz) can chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato purée
1 teaspoon ground cumin
salt and pepper
250 g (8 oz) long-grain white rice
To serve
soured cream
red chilli fakes
Cheddar cheese, grated
finely chopped spring onion
Heat the oil in a saucepan over a low heat. Add the onions and red pepper and gently fry, stirring now and then, for about 5 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and cook for another 1 minute until opaque.
Increase the heat slightly and add the meat. Fry until just brown, stirring and breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon. Pour in the stock, then add the chilli powder, beans, tomatoes, tomato purée, cumin and a dash of salt and pepper.
Bring to the boil, then cover, reduce the heat to as low as possible and simmer very gently for 50–60 minutes, stirring occasionally so that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
Cook the rice, towards the end of the chilli’s cooking time, in lightly salted water, according to the packet instructions, then drain.
Pile up the rice on each of 4 warm serving plates, dollop on the cooked chilli and top with the soured cream. Scatter over the chilli flakes, grated Cheddar and spring onion and serve immediately with the boiled rice.
For veggie con carne, heat the oil in a pan, add the onion, red pepper and garlic as above, plus 1 diced aubergine. Fry, stirring, until softened, then add 2 diced courgettes and fry for a few minutes more, omitting the minced beef. Add the stock and remaining ingredients, and cook as above.