VEGGIE RED CHILLI

Also known as Chilli Sin Carne

Eternally popular in the Lemon Heaven Café, this is the vegan counterpart to our Chilli con Carne, thus with a lineage traceable back through Texas to the Aztecs. As with our other Chillis, it is extremely versatile in terms of serving and adaptable in its consistency and chilli intensity. For aesthetic reasons, using red peppers and red kidney beans will produce a result resembling traditional Tex-Mex red chilli, while a mixture of beans and coloured peppers may look prettier.

On Heat

Whether you are cooking for children and grandmothers or a Viking horde, the type and number of chilli peppers you choose can rank your dish anywhere from beginners to biohazard. While supermarket fresh red chillis are suitable for all but the most vulnerable, those with an adventurous spirit and – more importantly - a robust palate and digestive tract may prefer deliciously smoky Chipotle chillis, fiery Habaneros (Scotch Bonnets) or weapons-grade varieties such as Bhat Jolokia (Ghost Chillis) which should only be handled using specialist clothing. Joking aside, if you’ve been chopping chillies with your bare hands, be careful where you put them.

Ingredients

As frequent flyers will know, measurements are going to be approximate; you may prefer more beans, more peppers or some other vegetables. You may be using fresh or dried chilli peppers and aiming for anything between beginner and ring-stinger.

1 medium onion

1 red pepper (or more – either red, orange or yellow)

2-4 red chilli peppers (or more – fresh or dried)

50g red lentils

I tin of chopped tomatoes

2 tablespoons of tomato puree

I tin of beans - red kidney or a mixture (drained)

1 tablespoon of paprika

1 tablespoon of smoked paprika

1 tablespoon of cumin

1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper*

1 square of dark chocolate

Olive oil

Black pepper

Salt

*You might have something labelled as “chilli powder” instead. This is not as hot as cayenne pepper as it also contains other spices such as cumin and nutmeg.

How to do it

Do the chopping up first – onion into small squares, red pepper into larger squares or strips, chillies (if fresh) into slices.
Cover the bottom of a large saucepan with olive oil and turn on to medium heat
Add the onions and sprinkle with black pepper – fry them for about a minute and then add the red pepper and chillies. Fry for another few minutes, giving the occasional stir.
Add the red lentils, stir to coat them with oil then add about 200ml cold water. Stir well while bringing to the boil, then simmer for 5 minutes.
Stir in the tin of tomatoes and tomato puree and simmer for another 5 minutes until the lentils are starting to soften. More water may be needed if the mixture is to dry and starting to stick.
Now add the spices, dark chocolate and – if you like – a vegetable stock cube. If you’re using dried chillies they should be added at this stage
Stir in the kidney beans – gently so you don’t break them up. If you like a particularly beany chilli, add two tins. Or mix it up and use another type of bean or a mixture, eg. borlotti, pinto or cannellini. Simmer for another 5 minutes.
Use a teaspoon to taste how you’re doing – add salt and extra cayenne pepper if needed
At this stage, it’s pretty much cooked. You can either serve your chilli immediately, but for the best flavour let it sit, then re-heat carefully when you’re ready for it.

Variations

TVP or some kind of veggie mince can be used instead of lentils. You won’t need to simmer it for so long, but keep an eye on how much liquid the mince absorbs
Other vegetables, such as courgettes or sweetcorn can be added
Low-fat or fat-free

Serving Suggestions

You probably have a good idea of what you want to do with your chilli. If you’re looking for inspiration, or have some leftovers to deal with, here is a quick round-up:

With rice or pasta
In a bowl with garlic bread or tortilla chips/nachos on the side
As a filling for tacos, fajitas, enchiladas, etc.
In a jacket potato
In a toasted sandwich or panini
Any of the above topped with grated cheese, sour cream or guacamole. Or all three.

VEGGIE RED CHILLI

On Heat

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Ingredients

​

As frequent flyers will know, measurements are going to be approximate; you may prefer more beans, more peppers or some other vegetables. You may be using fresh or dried chilli peppers and aiming for anything between beginner and ring-stinger.

​

1 medium onion

1 red pepper (or more – either red, orange or yellow)

2-4 red chilli peppers (or more – fresh or dried)

50g red lentils

I tin of chopped tomatoes

2 tablespoons of tomato puree

I tin of beans - red kidney or a mixture (drained)

1 tablespoon of paprika

1 tablespoon of smoked paprika

1 tablespoon of cumin

1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper*

1 square of dark chocolate

Olive oil

Black pepper

Salt

*You might have something labelled as “chilli powder” instead. This is not as hot as cayenne pepper as it also contains other spices such as cumin and nutmeg.

​

How to do it

​

Do the chopping up first – onion into small squares, red pepper into larger squares or strips, chillies (if fresh) into slices.

Cover the bottom of a large saucepan with olive oil and turn on to medium heat

Add the onions and sprinkle with black pepper – fry them for about a minute and then add the red pepper and chillies. Fry for another few minutes, giving the occasional stir.

Add the red lentils, stir to coat them with oil then add about 200ml cold water. Stir well while bringing to the boil, then simmer for 5 minutes.

Stir in the tin of tomatoes and tomato puree and simmer for another 5 minutes until the lentils are starting to soften. More water may be needed if the mixture is to dry and starting to stick.

Now add the spices, dark chocolate and – if you like – a vegetable stock cube. If you’re using dried chillies they should be added at this stage

Stir in the kidney beans – gently so you don’t break them up. If you like a particularly beany chilli, add two tins. Or mix it up and use another type of bean or a mixture, eg. borlotti, pinto or cannellini. Simmer for another 5 minutes.

Use a teaspoon to taste how you’re doing – add salt and extra cayenne pepper if needed

At this stage, it’s pretty much cooked. You can either serve your chilli immediately, but for the best flavour let it sit, then re-heat carefully when you’re ready for it.

​

Variations

​

TVP or some kind of veggie mince can be used instead of lentils. You won’t need to simmer it for so long, but keep an eye on how much liquid the mince absorbs

Other vegetables, such as courgettes or sweetcorn can be added

Low-fat or fat-free

​

Serving Suggestions

​

You probably have a good idea of what you want to do with your chilli. If you’re looking for inspiration, or have some leftovers to deal with, here is a quick round-up:

With rice or pasta

In a bowl with garlic bread or tortilla chips/nachos on the side

As a filling for tacos, fajitas, enchiladas, etc.

In a jacket potato

In a toasted sandwich or panini

Any of the above topped with grated cheese, sour cream or guacamole. Or all three.

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