The little bookshop beany chilli

Anyone who visited The Little Bookshop in Leeds is likely to have seen or tried this recipe as it was a really popular dish on the menu. so I thought it would be nice to share the recipe so you can make it at home.

It’s great to make in a big batch like this one and freeze some or have with different things to save time in the kitchen during the week. I really like a recipe that is super versatile, so you can eat it again and it’s not just left overs, but a whole different meal.

You can try serving it with classic brown basmati rice (spiked with toasted cumin seeds), paprika roasted squash or sweet potato wedges, guacamole, baked potato, coconut quinoa (photo below) feta and/or yoghurt (vegan coconut goes especially well). You can also make a wrap with avocado, feta, rice and a little yoghurt, or a quesadilla with plenty of cheese and rice.

Let me know in the comments below if you make it, I love to hear that people are enjoying my recipes.

Ingredients

Serves 6-8

• 1 large onion, small dice

• 2 bell peppers (yellow, orange or red), chopped

• 2 large cloves of garlic, grated

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• 1 tsp cumin

• 1 tsp coriander

• 1 tsp dried chill flakes (or 2 if you like it hot!)

• 2 x 400g tins tomatoes

• 3 x 400g tins mixed beans (in water)

• 30g fresh coriander, leaves chopped roughly and stalks chopped finely

• 1 tbsp apple cider or wine vinegar

• Juice of 1 lime, plus another chopped into wedges

Method

• Heat a couple of lugs of olive oil in a large wide bottomed pan, add the onions and peppers.

• Cook on a medium heat to allow the water to steam out of the veggies, but don’t let them burn, turn the heat down if they begin to stick.

• Stir on and off for about 15 minutes until the onions are just beginning to colour (to add extra flavour) then add the garlic and cook for a minute.

• Next add the ground spices and stir for a minute to warm then through (and release their flavour) before pouring in the chopped tomatoes, the beans and coriander stalks. Allow to gently bubble away for 25 minutes with the lid half on, but keep an eye on it and put it on if the chilli begins to dry out or stick. You can always add a little water if needed.

• Lastly add the vinegar and allow to bubble for a further 5 minutes without the lid on.

• Sir in the juice from 1 lime and save the rest for serving. Chop the other lime into wedges as well.

Tip

• This chilli freezes well, so save any leftovers for another day.