My sister is a Student and a Vegetarian! So this is a tasty and budget vegie chilli dish that can be eaten on it's own or with rice, salad, tacos etc. This is simply like a meat chilli but with more emphasis on the veg and pulses and with no meat!

2 Onions
4-6 carrots
2-4 Courgettes
4-6 Stalks of Celery
1 Pepper
4 Cloves of Garlic
Tobasco
3 Tins of Mixed beans
1 Tin of chopped toms
Tom Puree
Tomato Ketchup
Stock Cube.
And any other veg you think would be nice!

Method:

The key to this dish (according to Lauren) is the long, slow cooking of the finely chopped veg. It's the same principle behind soup; gentle sautéing veg to release the flavour.

Get a large pot with 3tbs or oil warm, but not too hot. Very finely chop your onions, garlic, celery and carrot, add to the oil and gentle sauté for 10-15mins. Add your finely chopped pepper and courgette. Cook on for another 10-15 mins. This seems like a long time but what happens is you gently release all the flavour from the veg, texture is not important.

Now add a tin of chopped tomatoes, a squeeze of tomato purée and some tomato ketchup (a great secret ingredient when you cook with tinned toms as the sweetness balances the tinned toms). Stir and cook for a few more mins. This bit with the toms comes down to taste, just add as much of each as you like. Add your tins of mixed beans and enough water to cover. This is where you get the bulk in the meal, add as many beans as you like, and what ever variety you like- kidney, black eye, flagiot, cannellini etc.

Now season and add Tabasco, chilli powder or fresh chillies, what ever you prefer. I recommend using some Tabasco though as the flavour seems to bring out the taste in the veg. Add your stock cube.

Cook gently for another 30mins or so. The longer the better. Add water as required. The beans will retain their texture, you want to develop the flavours.

You can serve this with rice and salad, in taco shells, in tortilla wraps with guacamole or even on toast!