Black Bean Birria

• servings: 3 servings
• total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

1 x 570g jar Queen Black Beans - with their bean stock

1 dried ancho chilli (optional)

2 tbsp neutral oil, such as vegetable or sunflower

1 onion, finely chopped

1 celery stick, finely chopped

½ red chilli, seeds removed and finely sliced

4 fat garlic cloves, finely grated or chopped

1 tsp cumin seeds or 2 tsp ground cumin

½ tsp cinnamon

2 tbsp tomato puree

200ml veg stock

A handful of coriander leaves, for garnish

1 lime

Rotis, flat breads or soft tortillas

200g feta cheese, crumbled (or plant-based alternative)

2 avocados, sliced

Diced raw or pickled red onions

Pickled jalapenos

Greek or natural yogurt (or plant-based alternative)

Sweetcorn

Rice

Directions

Soak the ancho chilli in hot water to soften - these are optional, but they’ll add a real depth of smoky heat.

Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the onions and celery and cook for 8-10 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic, chilli, and cumin seeds/ground cumin ground cumin/cumin seeds. Cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.

If you’re serving with rice, now is a good time to get it on to cook.

Remove the ancho chilli from the water, roughly chop and add to the pan along with the tomato puree and cinnamon. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the puree darkens. Add a splash of water if it starts to stick.

Pour in the beans with their bean stock and veg stock. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it turns to a chocolate brown colour and the consistency is similar to a thick-ish soup.

Warm the rotis/flatbreads/tortillas either in the microwave or in a dry pan, just until lightly browned. Check the stew for seasoning, adding the juice of ½ lime for freshness - slice the remaining lime into wedges for serving.

Ladle the stew into bowls. Top with the sliced avocado, crumbled feta, fresh coriander, a pinch of chilli flakes and serve with lime wedges - or any other toppings you fancy. Mop up with the warm bread or rice for something even heartier.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 3