VEGAN CHILLI, low fat/cholesterol/salt; budget friendly; high fibre,

Vegan Chilli with tofu mince offers muscular flavour and rich spicy sauce...

Vegan Chilli with Tofu Mince & Kidney Beans: muscular, spicy, fabulous
(here with avocado in lime juice & corn tortillas)

This recipe is a vegan version of 67goingon50's popular flagship dish, Chilli con Turkey.

It's a winner for plant eaters, and for the budget conscious, producing an intensely savoury dish that negates worries that vegan food is bland.  It also scores high on the health meter, substituting low fat & cholesterol tofu for meat and using salt-free organic tomato paste.  And all without loss of flavour.

A Chilli from 67 takes people aback - in a good way - not just by the layers of spices but also by their heart and weight friendly qualities, and by the low cost.  

Even better, apart from tofu, no exotic ingredients are necessary (though if you like heat, dried chipotles* are good to have in the cupboard.  

67 tested M&S's organic extra-firm tofu**, a recent addition to the supermarket's wide range of plant food.  The extra-firm doesn't need to be frozen and squeezed, saving time and energy, and you can make the vegan chilli in a few hours.  

A warning: the chilli is hot and spicy.  If serving kids, cool it down by stirring in a couple of tablespoons of yoghurt.  

The recipe was adapted from one of the first modern gourmet chefs, Robert Carrier, from the 1960's. 67goingon50's copy - sadly out of print - is so battered, the publication name and date have vanished.

Cost: £5'ish
Serves: 6 as a main course; more as a crowd-pleaser

250g/8.8oz organic extra firm-tofu*, coarsely processed to resemble mince  
scant 1.5 tsp olive oil 
1 large onions, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, minced or grated
1 x 250 g passata OR or 250gm fresh baby tomatoes, peeled and pureed plus 2 tins plum tomatoes (divided)
2 tbsp salt-free organic tomato puree

2 tablespoons mild chilli powder OR 1.5 tbsp mild chili powder and 1/2 tbsp  M&S Roasted Mexican Spices
1 small dried Chipotle chilli, reconstituted in 1-2 tbsp water (opt).
1/2 tablespoon flour
1 bay leaf, crumbled
1/8 tsp powdered cumin
1/4 tsp oregano
1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tin kidney beans, rinsed and drained
small courgette in fine dice (opt)
med carrot, grated (opt but adds a bit of sweetness to temper the heat)

up to a tablespoon of sugar
s&p
chopped parsley for garnish.

Method:

1. Spray olive oil in a large, flameproof casserole pre-heated over med high.  Add onions; sauce until soft but not brown
2. Add tofu, stirring frequently until it is crumbly and browned.  
3. Add 1 packet passata/or equiv fresh pureed tomatoes, a tin tomatoes (rinse tin out and save juices ) & garlic; bring to the boil: simmer 5 mins
4. Meanwhile, blend chilli powder, flour, bay leaves, cumin, oregano, paprika & chipotle pepper, if using incl soaking water.   If not using chipotle pepper, add a few tbsp of meat juices and the tomato juices from the tins/containers to make a smooth paste. Stir into the casserole; the mix will be sloppy.
5. Add rinsed, drained kidney beans, courgette & carrot
6. Cook, covered, over a low heat on stovetop or in a 180c oven for 1 1/2 hours or according to Instant Pot directions until thick and rich.    
7. Add second tin tomatoes, cutting with a knife or scissors so that there are lumps of tomato within the sauce.  Check seasoning 
8. Add up to one tablespoon sugar to moderate acidity of tomatoes
9. Sprinkle over plenty of fresh chopped parsley
10. Serve hot on (pref brown) rice, buttered noodles or mashed potatoes.  A dish of finely diced chillis goes down well.
11. For a party:  serve with separate bowls of grated cheese, finely chopped red onion, a simple guacamole (avocado mashed with lemon/lime juice, mixed with diced fresh tomato & chopped fresh parsley) and tortilla chips.

Comments:

'Very nice.  And hot, in a good way.  I can't taste the tofu but the thick spicy sauce and beans were rich with flavour.' Retired writer 

Tips:

1. If you can't find extra-firm tofu, firm tofu is available at health food shops and in Chinatowns.  It needs to be frozen, defrosted and squeezed before processing to mince.
2. If you like this, you'll also like Southern Unfried Chicken, spicy tantalizingly crispy chicken -- baked, not fried. 

*Waitrose
**£3 for 300gm at M&S

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This recipe has been adapted by B Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission