Chilli

Chilli is a modern classic that really isn't as complicated as most people think.

1. 1

   A large frying pan or wok is best to cook this in, if you only have a small frying pan, use a medium sized saucepan.
   
   Finely chop onion and garlic, fry in a little olive oil until slightly softened.
   Add chopped mushrooms and cook until soft.
   
   Once soft, remove all this from the pan and get the pan really hot with a little oil, fry the beef mince until browned. Drain off excess liquid as the mince starts to brown or it will boil rather than fry.
   Once brown, add the onions and mushrooms back into the frying pan and mix with the mince, turn down the heat a little.
   
   Crumble the stock cube into the mix with a pinch of salt and pepper and stir.
   Add the 2 tins of tomatoes, a chopped red bell pepper and half a tube of tomato puree and stir in.
   Drain and wash the kidney beans in a sieve or colander, add these to the pan.
   
   Stir again and put on lid and leave to simmer for around 10 minutes.
   Add the chilli powder and paprika to the the pan and grate the chocolate in. Stir and let this all cook down together for another 10 minutes.
   
   Taste the chilli to see if it is hot enough, if not, add more chilli powder until it is to your taste.
   
   Serve with boiled Basmatti rice.
   
   
   ** Hints and Tips **
   
   - If you omit the chilli powder, kidney beans, paprika and chocolate, this recipe becomes a Bolognese.
   - Both Bolognese and chilli are great to freeze and defrost at another time, so if you have more ingredients, you can cook more and freeze the extra. (Plastic take-away boxes are really good to freeze things in and when full are a good portion size).
   - Don't waste your money on different heat strengths of chilli powder. Just make sure you always have a jar of hot powder in your cupboard and use less if you don't want what you're cooking to be too spicy.