Kids in the Kitchen

Passport & Plate - Chilli Con Carne

Australia | Saturday, March 8, 2014 | 2 photos

Ingredients
Olive oil
1 clove garlic crushed
1 red onion diced
1 carrot chopped finely
1 stick of celery chopped finely
500 g lamb mince
2x 400 g tin tomatoes
1 x 400 g tin chick peas drained
1 x 400 g tin kidney beans drained
1 tab balsamic vinegar
I squeeze lime juice
Spice Mix
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp hot chilli powder
Salt and pepper
Service Garnishes
400 g Brown Basmati Rice cooked
Spinach leaves and Coriander or Chopped spring onions
Avocado slices or Avo Fresh (www.avofresh.com.au)
Greek yoghurt
Lime or lemon wedges and thin slices of red capsicum
Corn chips

 

How to prepare this recipe
1. Collect all the ingredients and create the spice mix.
2. Put on the rice and cook according to the directions on the packet. Brown rice takes a good 40 minutes.
3. Finely chop garlic, onion, carrots, celery and coriander stalks (only if using coriander as a garnish). Heat a couple of lugs of oil in large frypan then place in all ingredients. Stir every 30 seconds for a couple of minutes then add spice mix. Continue cooking then add drained chick peas, kidney beans and tinned tomatoes.
4. Add the lamb mince and one tin of water. (If vegetarians are eating with us I would only put in one tin of tomatoes and cook the mince in a separate pan with the other tin. Extra spice mix would be added to the meat) Bring to boil then turn down to simmer for 15 minutes then add the balsamic vinegar.
5. Continue simmering until ready for service. (rice cooked and family home ready to eat) Stir occasionally to stop the catching. Lastly add the squeeze of lime juice and stir.
6. Service – Place rice in big bowls, spoon over meat mixture (meat eaters), chilli bean mixture and top with spinach leaves, Greek yoghurt, coriander or spring onions, corn chips, avocado or a squeeze of avofresh, a lime wedge and a couple of thin slices of capsicum

 

The story behind this recipe
Chilli con carne is a recipe that has been adapted to meet the needs of my busy teenage family and our visitors. Growing up as the youngest in a family of five children, I observed my mum adding a cup of water and barley to a stew when visitors arrived. I liked the concept of recipes expanding to accommodate extra serves however found I didn’t enjoy the flavour of a watery stew. When it was my turn to cook for many, and on a budget, I was delighted that a Chilli con carne recipe could fit the brief.
Sweet chilli beef nachos started out as a family favourite however as my children have grown, the recipe has been adapted to this current bowl of wholesome goodness. This version delights everyone’s tastebuds when they come home hungry from sport, dance, Uni lectures or work. It is a requested favourite when craving for a nutritious home cooked family meal.
The vegetarian option was created for my daughter’s friend. She asked for the meat to be removed while my son wanted the meat. This meant an extra pan to cook the meat, tomatoes and extra spices which easily accommodated both requirements.
Avofresh is a product marketed by Woolworths and is produced by local family friend. My kids love to use Avofresh on sandwiches instead of butter and use it as a desirable garnish for this dish. It enables avocado to be included all year round. The brown rice creates a nutty addition to the meal.
I am pleased that this dish has solved the issue of what to make when you are tired after a day of work. The barriers of time, cost and taste often impacting the health of a busy family have been addressed. The chopping of the vegetables can be done ahead of time or by the kids while occasional stirring can happen easily if required. It is a dish that works for everyone and can be become self – serve with the garnishes in bowls to accommodate fussy eaters.