Veggie Chilli bowl

a bowl of food
Veggie Chilli bowl Volonte - Hearst Owned

If your immune system needs a pick-me-up, this meat-free chilli comes with lashings of the vitamin C you need - thanks to the red cabbage. How hot you want to make it is, of course, up to you.

'Vegetarians and vegans tend to have to make sacrifices when it comes to popular dishes that typically contain meat,' says co-founder Vidushi Binani, who helped create the dish for Cafe Volonté, 'we really want to create an inclusive menu that provides delicious options for everyone, and all our dishes with meat have vegetarian or vegan alternatives. Our chilli bowl is usually made with turkey, but we do a vegan version that packs a punch of complete plant-based protein as well.

'Our twist on a classic chilli con carne provides good fibre from our homemade pickled cabbage and slaw. We use lentils and black beans in our spiced chilli, which combined with wild rice has a balanced protein profile while having a multi-dimensional flavour. A comforting option for lunch or dinner.'

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup of rice

  • 2 chopped tomatoes or ½ tin of chopped tomatoes

  • 1 tsp oil

  • 1 tbsp of chopped onion

  • 1 tsp of chopped garlic salt

  • 1 tsp lime juice

  • 1 tsp harissa paste

  • ½ chopped red chilli (optional)

  • ½ cup beluga lentils

  • 100g of black beans (rinsed)

Ingredients for Slaw:

  • 50g white cabbage

  • 50g red cabbage

  • 15g red onion

  • 20g Carrot

  • 2 tbsp mayonnaise

  • 1tsp Dijon mustard

  • ½ tsp white vinegar

Ingredients for pickled red cabbage:

  • 50g red cabbage

  • 30ml distilled white vinegar

  • 10ml balsamic vinegar

  • 1tbsp demerara sugar

  • 20ml water

  • ½ tsp mustard seeds

  • ½ tsp coriander seeds

Method:

  1. Shred the red and white cabbage, carrots and onion with a mandolin or grater. Add the mayonnaise, mustard and white vinegar and mix well.

  2. In a pot, gently heat balsamic and distilled white vinegar and water. Add the mustard and coriander seeds along with the demerara sugar. Bring to a simmer, transfer to a bowl and leave to cool.

  3. Shred red and white cabbage, and carrots and add finely diced onion into a bowl and mix the vinegar mixture in, making sure to fully cover. Leave to marinade in the fridge for 24 hours before serving.

  4. Cook rice and leave to one side.

  5. Add ½ cup of beluga lentils in a pan and add boiling water. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until soft transfer to a bowl and leave to cool.

  6. Heat oil in a pan for 30 seconds, add onions and garlic and cook until is softened for around 1 minute. Add the tinned tomatoes, lime juice, chilli, harissa paste, salt and beluga lentils, and cook for about 4-5 minutes. Add the black beans, stir and cook for around a minute.

  7. In a bowl place the cooked rice and add 5 tablespoons of the lentil chilli, carefully covering half of the rice layer. On the other half, place 2 tbsp of pickled cabbage in one quarter and 2 tbsp of slaw in the other and enjoy.

Volonté’s nutrition-first menu is built upon the principles of nutrition with each carefully considered dish featuring high-quality macro and micro-nutrients.

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