The first time I made this I wanted a spicy bean protein to add to pita bread for dinner, because I had left over chicken from a bought roasted chicken and needed to use the leftovers. Hubby eats meat, I don't, so when I make this it needs to be a protein for a vegetarian too. Using the Asian basics, I experimented and loved this dish so much I could have it every night for dinner. I made HUGE pita breads when I made this, but think it would go better with smaller ones. I made it by layering chicken in the bottom of the pita, spicy beans on top of the chicken (so it gets coated in sauce), and sliced lettuce on top of that. For vegetarians simply omit the shredded chicken.
The second time I made this I had leftover fried mince from making spaghetti bolognese the night before, plus I had two ripe avocados from the garden that HAD to be eaten, so I decided to use it Mexican style. This time I made the spicy beans with a tin of 4 bean mix (that's what I had in the cupboard), home grown tomatoes, and served the cooked spicy beans on a tortilla.
I prefer the 4 seed tortillas as seeds contain protein and omegas, and this time we layered the ingredients. A thick stripe of spicy beans down the center of the tortilla. On top of that a layer of cooked mince (I cook mine with wine and balsamic vinegar, and a teaspoon of Bovril), then a layer of grated cheddar cheese, and on top of that a layer of thickly sliced avocado. Fold the bottom of the tortilla up, then flap the sides over the middle to create the perfect burrito envelope (I preheated my tortillas in a pan, but you can do it in the microwave (1 minute on high). It was delicious the second way too! I had my portion without the mince. It is VERY filling and very yummy.
The recipe for the spicy beans is:
1 red pepper diced 1 yellow pepper diced 1 orange pepper diced 1 red onion diced olive oil
Put above ingredients in a pot and fry until the onion is caramelizing.
Add to the pot
1 BIG sprinkle black pepper (at least a teaspoon worth) 1 teaspoon of dried paprika 230 g tomato paste (I use 2 containers which are 115g each) 1 stick of celery sliced thinly (prevents flatulence) 1 drained and rinsed can of white cannelloni beans 500 mls water 1/2 teaspoon very spicy dried chili pepper (used just 1 dried one from the garden) 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Put lid on and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring often. Take lid off once the beans are soft and cooked, and add
1 small can of coconut milk (165mls) 1/2 cup diced pineapple
Cook on medium, stirring, until the mixture is thick. Serve however you'd like it. Inside pita with shredded (pulled) chicken, or with mince or pulled beef.