This wholesome chilli uses a combination of dried spices, jalapeños and dark chocolate to give the sauce a rich and fiery flavour.
It’s one of our most comforting dishes, which is also a great source of fibre and protein.
Update: a previous version of this recipe referred to this dish as a ‘mole’, which in retrospect was an oversimplification and wasn’t accurate.
Notes:
- You can easily make this gluten-free using tamari instead of soy sauce.
- This chilli will store well in an air-tight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Alternatively you can freeze it for 2-3 months.
- ‘Dried mixed herbs’ are sold in a single jar, which you’ll be able to find in most supermarkets. It usually contains a mixture of thyme, parsley, oregano, sage and basil. If you can’t find it, then dried oregano will be fine.
- We use a dark soy sauce, which adds a richer colour to the sauce. However you can use regular soy sauce (also known as light soy sauce), which will be more salty so adjust your seasoning if necessary.
We gut you!
- Recent studies have shown that maintaining a good gut is an important way to support your immune, heart and brain health.
- This black bean chilli incorporates a variety of vital foods that will help support your gut, from brown rice, which is rich in fibre and is a whole grain that feeds the good bacteria in your gut – to dark chocolate, which contains polyphenols that have strong antioxidant properties and also fuel your gut.
- If you can, try to find a vegan yoghurt which contains live cultures. These friendly bacteria will contain probiotics, which are a crucial component for maintaining good gut health.
- Another important tip is to leave the yoghurt to sit at room temperature for a while before serving. This could help the live cultures become more active and therefore increase their probiotic properties.
Black Bean Chilli
Ingredients
- 250 g brown rice
- salt + pepper
- olive oil
- 1 onion, peeled + finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled + finely chopped
- 1.5 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 x 400 g tin of chopped tomatoes
- 40 g jarred jalapeños, drained + chopped
- 1 tsp dried mixed herbs, see notes
- 1 tbsp soy sauce, or tamari (see notes)
- 3 x 400 g tins of black beans, drained
- 1/2 vegetable stock cube
- 4 tbsp tahini
- 150 g vegan yoghurt, see notes
- 1 lime
- 30 g 70% dark chocolate, chopped or grated
- 2 avocados, peeled + sliced
- 1 handful of fresh coriander, leaves chopped
Method
- Rinse the rice under water, then add it to a saucepan with 480ml (2 cups) of cold water and a pinch of salt. Bring it to a boil, then cover and simmer for 25-35 mins or until cooked.
- Meanwhile start the chilli. Add a splash of olive oil to a large pan or a casserole pot on a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 10 minutes or until brown.
- Next stir in the garlic, cumin and cinnamon, and cook for 2 minutes.
- To the same pan, add the chopped tomatoes, then fill a quarter of the empty tin with water and swirl it around to collect any leftover tomato juices, before pouring the water into the pot, followed by the chopped jalapeños, dried herbs, soy sauce and black beans. Next combine the stock cube with 120ml (1/2 cup) of hot water in a jug, then pour this into the pan, stir well to combine, then simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the chilli has thickened.
- Meanwhile, combine the tahini and yoghurt in a bowl with the juice from half of the lime and a pinch of salt and pepper. If necessary, add splashes of water to loosen the dressing until it’s smooth and runny.
- When the sauce is ready, stir in the grated dark chocolate until it has melted, then season to taste with salt.
- To serve, add the rice to bowls, then top with the black bean chilli, sliced avocado, drizzle over the tahini yoghurt dressing and sprinkle over some coriander leaves. Finally, slice the remaining half of lime into small wedges and add them to the bowl.
5 Comments
What dried herbs do you use?
‘Dried mixed herbs’ are sold in a single jar, which you’ll be able to find in most supermarkets. It usually contains a mixture of thyme, parsley, oregano, sage and basil. If you can’t find it, then dried oregano will be fine. We’ve also added this as a note to make it easier for everyone. Thanks!
What are the nutrients for this one?
Can I use something in place of yogurt for the sauce?
The flavours included in this recipe have me excited to make this tomorrow. Thank you for sharing your recipe.