Vegetarian Chilli by Taming Twins

Ingredients

• 700g Sweet potato, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
• 400g Borlotti beans, drained and rinsed
• 400g Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 800g Tinned chopped tomatoes
• 2 Onions, peeled and finely chopped
• 6 Garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 500ml Hot vegetable stock (gluten-free if needed)
• 1 tbsp Olive oil (or sunflower oil)
• 3 tbsp Brown sugar
• 1 tbsp Paprika
• 1 tbsp Sweet smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp Ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp Dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp Dried chilli flakes
• 2 Limes
• To taste Salt
• To taste Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick saucepan or sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the finely chopped onions and crushed garlic, cooking without the lid for 5-7 minutes until they are just starting to soften and become translucent.
2. Stir in the brown sugar, paprika, sweet smoked paprika, ground cumin, cayenne pepper, ground cinnamon, dried oregano, dried chilli flakes, along with generous pinches of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Reduce the heat to low, partially cover the pan with the lid ajar, and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring regularly to prevent sticking.
3. During the spice cooking phase, if the mixture starts to stick to the bottom of the pan, add a splash of water (from the tap is fine) to deglaze and prevent burning. Continue cooking until the onions are deep brown and very soft, with no white parts visible.
4. Pour in the hot vegetable stock, add the cubed sweet potato, borlotti beans, cannellini beans, and tinned chopped tomatoes. Stir everything thoroughly to combine all the ingredients.
5. Increase the heat to medium and bring the chilli to a gentle simmer. Once simmering, reduce the heat to low, cover the pan with the lid, and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the sweet potatoes are tender and the chilli has thickened.
6. During the last 15-20 minutes of cooking, use a potato masher to mash about half of the softened beans directly in the pot. This creates a thicker, richer texture for the chilli, but can be skipped if you prefer a chunkier consistency.
7. The chilli is ready when it has a darker, rich color, the sweet potatoes are completely soft, and the sauce has thickened to your desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
8. Just before serving, squeeze the juice from both limes evenly over the chilli for a bright, zesty flavour. Stir well and serve hot with your preferred accompaniments.