Vegan Spicy Chilli

A bowl of vegan spicy chilli. Photo: Ellie Jay

I invented this recipe as it was the day before payday and it's very cheap! Also my partner doesn't like vegan food on principle but this is heavy enough that it passes the test. 

Serves four (keeps well for lunches through the week)

Ingredients

Splash of oil
1 red onion sliced
3 cloves garlic
2 capsicums chopped (any colour)
2 cans mixed beans
5 mushrooms
2 cans chopped tomatoes
Half a tube tomato puree
Pepper
Salt
Chilli flakes (or a couple of chillis)
Worcestershire Sauce (the vegan kind)
A veggie stock cube
Rice and peas to serve
Cheese (optional - and use vegan cheese if you prefer)

Method

Heat oil, add some chilli flakes and onion, and splash with balsamic vinegar. Once they have softened a bit, add garlic, then mushrooms and capsicums and fry for a bit. Make a well in the fried stuff and put the puree into it; stir into the veggies, and add the beans and chopped tomatoes. Once it has boiled, add the stock cube (crumbled) and lots of pepper. Add Worcestershire sauce and cook until the liquid has reduced. Just before serving, add more chilli flakes/ the other half of the chilli. I tend to boil rice and add frozen peas to it to serve.

Ellie Jay is an RNZ Social Journalist.