Things like rice, tinned tomatoes, beans, chickpeas, spices, herbs all of that stuff, you
could make great things but one of my favourite things to do with all of that is a good chilli,
a really good chilli where you can get loads of veggies in there, it's proper delicious. So look
first job the base of this chilli. Get yourself a nice onion, peel it, and roughly chop it. Now
if you haven't got an onion maybe you've got a leek, you could use spring onions, again we
can swap these things out guys no problem let's be flexible. So hot pan, the onions go in like that.
Hot pan, I'm going to use 2 cloves of garlic. Just slice it up any old how it doesn't really matter.
Garlic goes in. It sounds exciting already, we're gonna go chilli. So I'm just going to kind of
roughly finely slice it. So look I'm probably going to use that much. If you've got any
leftover chilli right, two things I can do: throw them in the freezer they're really good
you can grate them over things, or just put them in the salt like this and it kind of just stops
it kinda going minging and mouldy right and then you can use it the next day. So chilli goes in
like that. Let's get some spice into your life. So take a teaspoon and I want level teaspoons right
we want to go easy on the spice. So cinnamon goes in and then a level teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
Or smoked paprika, delicious. And then
we've got the cumin. Get a wooden spoon and then just stir it up. Now guys if you want to get mega
flavour out of veg, make it big and robust, then this part is really important. Have a look what's
happening in that pan right, we're bringing out the natural sugars in the onion and it's not just
onion that has natural sugars carrots have it, squash have it, peppers have it too. So even with
the peppers here get your thumb and just thumb it, right, and then that way is the best way to tear
out these lovely chunks like this. So we'll get rid of the seeds and we won't waste any of these
little bits here don't want to waste anything, and we'll do the same with the yellow pepper.
So I want to roughly chop these up into like kind of 2 centimetre chunks.
And this is just the beginning of the story it's gonna get better and better and better. And the
most important thing for me with a chilli is there's kind of an obsession by throwing in
the wet stuff now, early, right? That's where the big problem is. Do not get those tinned tomatoes
in there too early, what we want to do is what you can see there right we want to slowly fry,
we want to caramelise the veg. That's going to earn you massive massive flavour points.
So let's have a little toss up. Look at that it smells amazing. We'll keep
stirring it. And then I want to get some coriander stalks. So any stalks of fresh
herbs that you've got it could be mint basil or coriander, I'm using coriander today. Just
finely slice those stalks out because often they end up in the bin but they're full of flavour.
So if you haven't got fresh herbs please don't worry, this recipe is flexible to what you've
got in your pantry in your fridge okay? So stir in the coriander, and we're going to cook this
for about 10-15 minutes on a medium-high heat to get really intense and delicious.
Now for sweet potato of course you could use a normal potato of course you could use squash okay,
again swap outs are important. The sweet potato I think is delicious, it counts as one of your five
fruit and veg a day. We want to get the veggies in you guys to keep you healthy, to keep you
optimal. So sweet potatoes, yum. I'm just going to clank them up into like 1 inch chunks. Then
I've got the oven on at 200 degrees Celsius and I'm just going to kiss these with a touch of oil,
a good pinch of salt and pepper, and then a little bit of cinnamon a little bit of cayenne pepper
and here's a little bit of cumin. Now give these a little toss right and it'll
stick to it and as that roasts for about an hour right that is going to be delicious.
So it's had about 10-15 minutes it's shrunk down, it smells incredible. Now we can think
about adding beans tomatoes stuff like that, so as far as beans are concerned these are
brilliant. But whatever you can think of or got, use that. So one tin juice and all will go in.
That's your protein, incredibly important you know for your nutrition if you're not eating meat.
We're going to put in some chickpeas as well we'll go juice and all. Chickpeas are amazing
they suck up all the flavour. Then we're gonna get the tomatoes in there, I like to use whole
plum tomatoes if possible but you can use the chopped or the passata, please don't worry.
So two tins of plum tomatoes I will use.
And then what I like to do is just rinse out the tin with just a little bit of water.
And we're good to go. That chilli is going to be fantastic. So.
So give it a nice little stir up and then break up some of those tomatoes and they'll continue to
disintegrate as you simmer away for about 20-25 minutes until it's delicious and unctuous it's
going to be so so good. I might give it a little kiss of seasoning now. And then importantly what
are we going to have it with? Flatbreads? Could be delicious, but rice is the thing for me it
just makes me feel good. So I'm going to get a pan on and then I'm going to get a regular builder's
mug and I'll fill that with basmati rice so another classic store cupboard ingredient,
and what we do is we go 2 cups of water to 1 cup of rice. It works every single time
and we call it the absorption method because the rice will just absorb that exact amount
of liquid and it will give you light, fluffy, fresh nutty rice. So a pinch of salt, lid on,
get that thundering away. That'll be ready in 12 minutes and you can just switch it
off. This will tick away for another sort of 20-25 minutes. Time for a little clean down.
So here we go guys,
after 20 minutes it's looking like this thick and gorgeous looking. The rice is steamy and done can
you see? All the little holes that come through so that is going to be beautiful and fluffy,
let's plate some up but not before we get the sweet potatoes out. So these have had just under
an hour. Oh come on, look at that! They've shrunk up. Look at the crispy skins as well
they're going to be amazing so I'm literally going to put those straight in, and what's nice is they
all kind of almost rehydrate with the chilli sauce, just gorgeous. So one of the great things
about sweet potatoes you know, like pumpkin and squash, is they'll keep a long time in your home.
Get them in soups stews you know, make nice little oven chips, stuff like that. Absolutely delicious.
So we're good to go now guys let's turn it off, always an important time to taste your food.
Mm! Correct the seasoning if need be, delicious. Now if you want to kind of give
it a little bit of a pick-me-up you could use some herbs for sure, any soft herbs,
just a little gesture of it roughly chopped up will be lovely. A little swig of vinegar
or lime juice or lemon juice really helps a dish like this which is quite savoury and a little bit
spicy so I'll just put a little squeeze of lime in there but literally use what you've got to hand.
And then let's plate up. So get your rice, get a fork, and give it a nice little fluff up. So
a nice wodge on the plate look at that, fluffy. Of course you can go for brown rice as well,
very very nice. And then we want that chilli. Big chunks of that sweet potato, so good!
And you've got the beans really nice, massive plate of food loads of goodness.
And for me the thing that I really want to have with it is a nice little splurge
of yoghurt. It could be sour cream you know whatever you've got available to you and if
you've got a few bits of coriander, happy days. So whether it's rice or tortilla wraps or you
know swap one veg out for another or slip a bit of meat in or not, it's a very very generous flexible
recipe that I think you're gonna love. Right look enough yapping. I love a good chilli. Mm!
What I love is the sweetness you get from the peppers but then the hunks of sweet
potato and the crispy skin, and that little bit of fluffy rice. So so good.