The trick with this is to use dried beans, most supermarkets sell them and the choice of beans is entirely down to personal taste. However, I have found that a combination of Kidney beans, Aduki beans and black eyed beans. I have found that soaking these for 24 hours in a good rich vegetable stock improves the taste and the sweetness, but make sure the stock is cold or the beans go a slushy, unnatural texture.
Ingredients
- I cup each of Kidney, Aduki and Black eyed beans. If using tinned make sure you drain well.
- 1 red onion finely chopped
- 2 sticks of celery finely chopped
- 2 red chilli, finely chopped leave seed in for extra warmth
- 2 cloves of garlic crushed
- 2 small carrots finely chopped
- 2 tins of plum tomatoes
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce( optional)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp cornflour
- 50ml tomato purée
- 1tsp each of cumin, ground coriander and ginger
- 50g dark brown sugar.
- Juice of 1 lime
- Soak the beans for 24 hours in a good vegetable stock ( low or no salt stock) and throw away any beans that float. remove, rinse under running cold tap and drain.
- Fry off the beans with a tablespoon of groundnut or rapeseed oil on high heat until they start to caramelise. Add in the onions, celery, garlic and carrot on a lower heat until the onions are soft and translucent. Then add the cumin, coriander and ginger
- Add tinned tomatoes, chilli, tomato pure, oyster sauce ( if using )and paprika and bring to boil.
- Simmer for 60 minutes and adjust flavour with salt and pepper. Add sugar and lime juice.
- If not thick enough the follow steps 6.
- Mix the cornflour with a couple of tablespoons of cold water then add to chilli mix.
- Bring back to boil for a clue of minutes to cook off the cornflour and thicken.
- Serve with rice or toasted tortillas, sour cream and salsa.
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