Easy vegan chilli

Step 1

Place the soy TVP in a bowl. Dissolve a stock cube in 2 cups of hot water and pour over the soy TVP. Set aside.

Step 2

Heat up the oil in a deep frying pan / casserole dish (with a lid). Add chopped onion and fry on a low heat until translucent and lightly caramelised, stirring from time to time.

Step 3

Add chopped garlic, diced bell pepper and jalapeno pepper (deseeded if you don't want too much spice). Keep on stirring frequently until the bell and jalapeno pepper softens completely and the garlic releases its beautiful aroma.

Step 4

Decrease the flame to low and add all the ground spices to the pan and stir them around well. Fry them off gently for a minute or two, stirring the whole time as they burn easily.

Step 5

Add the tomato paste to the pan and stir it into the mixture.

Step 6

Next add in the chopped tomatoes and 2 tins / cans worth of water (I rinse my cans with water and then dump it into the pan), bay leaf, salt and a generous grind of black pepper.

Step 7

Cover the dish with a lid and allow the sauce to cook on low heat for about 30 minutes.

Step 8

While the sauce is simmering, heat up a small pan on a medium heat. Add pumpkin seeds and roast them until most of them have popped and split, stirring the whole time. Season with salt and set aside.

Step 9

After that time, take the lid off, add rehydrated TVP and allow the excess water to cook out slowly so that the sauce thickens.

Step 10

Once the sauce thickens, taste it and season with more salt (if needed) and a touch of sugar if needed.

Step 11

Finally, stir in the drained kidney beans just to allow them to heat up.

Step 12

Serve with cooked quinoa or rice, topped with chopped avocado, a dollop of vegan yogurt, some roasted pumpkin seeds and fresh coriander. This dish tastes even better the day after it has been made, it also freezes well.