Ingredients
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 stalk of celery, diced (optional)
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 4 large mild dried chillies, deseeded and lightly toasted
- 500g beef or pork mince
- 1 beef stock cube
- 1 tsp paprika (or any mild chilli powder)
- 1 & 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp oregano
- 4 heaped Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 can tinned tomatoes (400g)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 squares of dark chocolate
- 1 can red kidney beans (400g)
- 1 tsp salt
- black pepper to taste
- sour cream to serve
- coriander to garnish
Directions
In a large pot, cook chopped vegetables and garlic in some neutral cooking oil until softened, stirring occasionally. Add some of the salt to help the vegetables soften and start the seasoning process.
Meanwhile, blend toasted dried chillies in 1 cup of water with beef stock cube, and set aside.
When vegetables are softened and fragrant, add meat to the pot and break up thoroughly. Cook until the moisture has evaporated and the meat starts to sizzle and brown. Add the spices, oregano and tomato paste and cook for a few minutes until fragrant. Add blended chilli mixture and tinned tomatoes, bring to a boil, then back down to a simmer and cook for around 20 minutes, or until thickened and rich. Season with salt at this stage, but not too much yet as the stew will reduce and get saltier. Add sugar, dark chocolate, beans and cook on low heat for another 30 minutes to bring the flavors together.
Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper, then serve with steaming hot white rice, sour cream and coriander to garnish.