Smoky Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chilli

Ingredients

• 800 g sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 onions, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tbsp chipotle paste
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 660 ml pale ale, divided
• 2 x 400 g tins chopped tomatoes
• 350 ml hot vegetable stock
• 50 g pickled jalapeños, chopped
• 1 tsp soft brown sugar
• 2 x 400 g tins black beans, drained and rinsed
• 25 g dark chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 lime, juice only
• 15 g coriander, roughly chopped
• Fine salt and black pepper
• 12 small tortillas
• 150 ml soured cream

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a large casserole over a medium-high heat. Brown the sweet potato in two batches for 5 to 6 minutes, then lift it onto a plate. The colour on those edges is what keeps the final chilli from tasting merely sweet.
2. Lower the heat to medium. Add the onions and red pepper with a pinch of salt and cook for 8 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, coriander seeds, smoked paprika, chipotle paste and tomato purée for 1 minute.
3. Pour in the pale ale and boil for 2 minutes, scraping up every browned bit from the base. Add the chopped tomatoes, stock, jalapeños and sugar, then return the sweet potato.
4. Simmer uncovered for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potato is tender and the sauce is thick enough to hold a spoon trail.
5. Add the black beans and dark chocolate. Simmer for another 8 to 10 minutes, until glossy. The chocolate should deepen the chilli without announcing itself as chocolate.
6. Add the lime juice, Taste and add salt or black pepper if needed. Finish with the coriander and serve with the tortillas and soured cream.