Chorizo and Vegetable Stew

This recipe is inspired by the Spanish roast chicken that I make for the family. Instead of using more meat, I am now trying to eat more healthily. However, the chorizo contains a lot of fat. So I cook this without the addition of fat or cooking oil. At least I don’t feel so guilty consuming the fatty chorizo sausage.

As a family, we are now getting more conscious of our food intake, we have now changed to brown rice, and occasionally we eat white rice.

I used the paprika powder that was in the larder for a long, long time. I used it for roast vegetables like pumpkin, sweet potatoes, potatoes and peppers. I have to think of creative ways of using spices as a packet lasts a long time. I am glad to say that at last, I am finally going to finish this pack- it is already almost 2 years!!!

This is a one-pot wonder and I cook this and serve it with rice or potatoes – jacket or mash. There is no need for side dishes. If you like, a side salad or stir fry goes well with this.

If you have any left-over, this freezes well.

You can also serve this as a dip or as the Americans call it ‘Chilli’. Good as party food. I tried it and it is good. Actually, I served it with rice crackers as I ran out of corn or tortilla chips. In fact it tastes even better as the rice cracker has a bit of sweetness. Yummy. My daughter suggests that it would be better if it is blitzed to have a finer consistency. Great idea, I will try this in the next round.

This is what I would call a Eurasian Dish as it has both European and Asian element. Just like Nyonya cooking which is one of the oldest fusion cooking.

 Quick Info

Serves:         4-5
Difficulty:   Easy
Cost:            £
Time:          10 mins to prep

20 min to cook

Ingredients:

½ length  Chorizo sausage , or 125g,-  skinned and cut to 1 cm cubes
1 Large onions or 1 ½ medium – thinly sliced
3 cloves  Garlic – finely chopped
2 x 300g  tinned Cannellini beans – drained and rinsed ( or whatever beans you have in the cupboard)
I medium  Carrot –  grated
1 medium  Courgette – grated
100g   Mushroom –  chopped
2  Bay leaves
1 sprig  Rosemary – stripped and chopped
1 sprig  Thyme -stripped
1  Fresh chilli, chopped, or 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
2 tspn  Paprika powder (or more if you refer)
Hot water
Ground black pepper
salt

To serve:
1  Lime – cut into wedges
Chopped spring onion or fresh coriander

Method

Heat a wok or a deep saucepan. Add in the chopped chorizo and fry for about 3-5 minutes. The oil will ooze out. Give it a stir every now and then to prevent burning.

Add in the onions and toss until it colours and add in the chopped garlic. Stir till it is lightly caramelised.

Then add in the carrots and courgettes. Stir fry till the vegetables are soft. Add in the beans and continue to stir. Add the rest of the ingredients. Then add in about 300ml of hot water. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Season generously with black pepper and salt. If you like, add a splash of water of you feel that it is a bit dry.

Serve with a squeeze of lime juice on top of rice or mash; or as a topping for jacket potatoes. Garnish with the chopped spring onions or coriander.