Chilli con Carne

This recipe contains ingredients that may not please the palate of some people, such as those who don’t like fresh coriander, very spicy dishes or even beans, but here I tried to follow as closely as possible an original chilli con carne recipe. If you don’t like or can’t eat some of these ingredients, you can choose not to use them, but it may not taste so similar to the one served in Mexican restaurants. The seasoning is a combination option to my taste, you can choose to use a ready-made spice mix that can be found in supermarkets such as a Taco Mix. The predominant seasonings in chilli are cumin and chilli powder, so if you choose to leave them out, you may not get the same result.

Ingredients

• 800g minced beef
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2-3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tin of peeled tomatoes or tomato sauce of your preference
• 2 tins of water (use the sauce tin as a measure)
• 1 tin of red kidney beans, already cooked
• 1 handful of fresh coriander, chopped
• Olive oil or lard for frying
• 1 tbsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp hot paprika powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Over high heat, fry the minced beef until it starts to brown ![ ] (IMG_2159.webp)
2. Add the onion and garlic and fry until they are soft, then add the seasoning and mix well ![ ] (IMG_2162.webp)
3. Add the beans, tomato sauce and the water, mix well and keep over a low heat stirring every 15 minutes so the bottom doesn’t stick ![ ] (IMG_2163.webp) ![ ] (IMG_2165.webp) ![ ] (IMG_2166.webp)
4. Adjust the salt and pepper; if you wish, add chopped dedo de moça chilli (Brazilian finger chilli) to make the flavour spicier ![ ] (IMG_2168.webp)
5. Add the coriander and serve in tacos and place in a hot oven for about 5-7 minutes, or serve just with guacamole. ![ ] (IMG_2171.webp) ![ ] (IMG_2183.webp) ![ ] (IMG_2184.webp) ![ ] (IMG_2187.webp)