Chili Sin Carne

• Chili con Carne is a hit for larger guest groups. But as soon as guests come who do not eat meat, or who would rather do without meat, one is faced with a problem - right? Far from it, because there are numerous ways to replace the meat in the chilli. Instead of chili con carne it is called chili sin carne, and you can make it with lentils, soy mince, quinoa or tofu. Like the original with meat, Chili Sin Carne is easy to prepare and healthy at the same time. With this basic recipe, Chili sin Carne succeeds with any of the basic ingredients.

How to do it:

• First the foundation must be prepared. First wash the lentils or quinoa thoroughly and drain them. If lentils are cooked longer than 20 minutes, soak them for a few hours to allow them to soften in the chilli. Quinoa can also be soaked to dissolve unpleasant acids. Drain both well before use. Crumble the tofu into small pieces. If you choose soy hack, you don't have to prepare anything.
• Peel and roughly dice the onions, peel and chop the garlic. Wash the peppers, remove the seeds, dice the peppers. Drain the corn and kidney beans. The bean water can be collected and added later before cooking to thicken the chilli a little.
• If using soy mince or tofu: Put soy mince or tofu in a large, cast iron pan or large saucepan with hot oil and fry until the selected base browns. Add onions, paprika powder, allspice, chilli flakes and tomato paste and allow to caramelize slightly.
• If using lentils or quinoa: Put the onions in a large, cast iron pan or large saucepan with hot oil and sauté. Add tomato paste, allspice, chilli flakes and paprika powder and allow to caramelize slightly. Add the lentils or quinoa and fry a little.
• The next step is the same for everyone: add garlic and paprika, deglaze with tomato paste, pour on the broth. Add the beans and corn and simmer for 30 minutes. Depending on the base used, a little more liquid may have to be added.
• Finally, season with salt and pepper.
• Tip 8: Chili tastes even better if you melt in one or two pieces of dark chocolate after cooking and stir it in.