Three Bean Chilli

This is an ideal, no-fuss way to use dried beans and pulses. We served this with ciabatta, but you can serve with tortilla wraps, boiled rice or other breads. It makes enough for around 8-10 people.

This recipe requires an ovenproof dish with a lid, or a slow-cooker. You can also adapt the recipe for a pressure cooker (in which case it will take just over an hour).

Organic Black Turtle Beans 1kg (Sussex Wholefoods)

500g dried black turtle beans

Organic Haricot Beans 1kg (Sussex Wholefoods)

500g dried haricot beans

Organic Red Kidney Beans 1kg (Sussex Wholefoods)

500g dried kidney beans

Organic Red Split Lentils 1kg (Sussex Wholefoods)

500g red split lentils

Vegetable Stock Cubes - Very Low Salt, Organic 60g (Kallo)

2 stock cubes, dissolved in 2 pints of water

Whole Cumin Seed 100g (Hampshire Foods)

2 tsp cumin seeds

Organic Coriander Powder 100g (Sussex Wholefoods)

1 tbsp ground coriander

Organic Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil 500ml (Clearspring)

3 tbsp olive oil

Chopped Tomatoes, Organic 400g (Mr Organic)

1 can chopped tomatoes

Sun-Ripened Tomato Passata 680g, Organic (Biona)

300ml passata

Hot Pepper Sauce, Organic 140g (Biona)

A few shakes of hot pepper sauce

Other Ingredients

4 shallots
3 cloves of garlic

Method

1) Pre-heat oven to 190°C/ Fan 180°C/Gas Mark 3.
2) Rinse and soak the Black Turtle Beans, Haricot Beans and Red Kidney Beans in fresh water the night before the day you would like to cook the dish.
3) Roughly chop the shallots and garlic and gently fry on the hob in a little oil until golden. Add the Cumin Seeds and Coriander and stir. Then immediately after pour over the vegetable stock and stir.
4) Add the pre-soaked beans to the pot. Stir, then add the tin of chopped tomatoes, hot pepper sauce and a little of the Passata.
5) Take the pan off the hob and put the lid on. Place on the middle shelf of the oven for around 2-2½ hours.
6) Add the red lentils and, if necessary, the rest of the Passata. Stir and return to the oven for a further 1-1½ hours.
7) You can serve this straight from the oven/slow cooker with plain rice, cornbread or as pictured above with ciabatta. Any leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated the following day.

If you’re using a pressure cooker, this recipe will take around an hour. Simply fry the ingredients in the cooker, add the beans and other ingredients, cover with a little water, bring to pressure and cook for around 45 minutes. Release the pressure, add the lentils and the remaining passata, bring back to pressure and cook for a further 10-15 minutes.