This was our favourite cheap meal from last year’s challenge, so when we decided to do the same meal for all five nights this
year, it was the obvious choice. A can of Sainsbury’s mixed beans in chilli
sauce is £1, but it does give plenty of flavour, so I’ve mixed one of those
with a can of kidney beans and a can of aduki beans to bulk it out. Then there’s
plenty of chopped tomatoes and onion, also for bulk, and some tomato puree,
which stops it getting too watery. As I mentioned in this post, I’m using
butter for frying, as it’s cheaper and more multi-purpose, plus it gives a bit
more flavour. It’s not the best bean chilli I’ve ever made (that would be this one) but it’s not half bad.
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Ingredients
3 large onions
3 fat cloves of garlic
Butter, for frying
A can of Sainsbury’s Mixed Beans in Chilli Sauce
A can of Sainsbury’s Basics Kidney Beans
A can of Sainsbury’s Aduki Beans
2 cartons of Sainsbury’s Basics Chopped Tomatoes
2 tbsp Sainsbury’s Tomato Puree
Salt, pepper & sugar (all pinched from chain cafes,
and I’m not sorry)
1 tsp curry powder
Makes 10 servings
Serve individual
portions with 100g of Sainsbury’s Basics rice per person
Start by peeling and chopping the onions and garlic, and
get them sizzling in a generous scoop of melted butter. While the onion softens
up, drain the kidney beans and aduki beans and give them a good rinse – do not do this with the beans in chilli
sauce!
Once the onions have become nicely soft & translucent,
add all the beans, the chopped tomatoes, the tomato puree, and a splash of
water. Give it all a really good stir and season with a generous pinch each of
salt, pepper and sugar (the sugar is to balance the tomato puree out), and a
teaspoonful of curry powder. Bring the whole thing to the boil, and then turn
the heat right down and put a lid on. If you can, leave it to simmer for about
half an hour, and then take it off the heat and let it sit for a further half hour
– this will help the flavours to develop.
Finally, cook your rice according to the instructions on
the pack, and serve up with some of the bean chilli on top. Do not add a sprinkling
of fresh coriander, sour cream, tortilla chips, grated cheese or a cold beer,
no matter how much you want to.
Ingredients