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Method
1
Bake the aubergine
Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Toss the diced aubergine with a little olive oil and a pinch of salt, spread on a baking tray and roast for 25–30 minutes until golden and soft. Set aside.
2
Build the base
In a large heavy-based pan, heat a splash of olive oil over a low-medium heat. Add the onion and peppers with a pinch of salt and fry gently for 10–12 minutes until softened and starting to colour. Add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes.
3
Add the spices and tomato purée
Stir in the smoked paprika, cumin, chilli and tomato purée. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the purée darkens slightly and the spices are fragrant.
4
Combine and simmer
Add the roasted aubergine, lentils, kidney beans (with their cooking liquid if using), soy sauce, tinned tomatoes, coffee grounds and vegetable stock. Stir well to combine. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to very low. Cover with a lid and cook for 1½ hours, checking and stirring every 15–20 minutes to prevent it catching on the bottom.
💡 Tip
The coffee grounds add a dark, slightly bitter depth that works brilliantly with the smoky chilli — don't leave them out. You won't taste coffee, just richness.
5
Thicken the sauce
Remove the lid and simmer over a low-medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes until you have a thick, glossy sauce. Taste and season generously with salt and black pepper.
6
Serve
Serve hot over rice with your choice of accompaniments — soured cream, fresh coriander, pickled jalapeños, or just a wedge of lime all work beautifully.
My Monday story
This is the chilli I make when I want something that rewards patience. There's nothing rushed about it — the aubergine goes in the oven first, the onions take their time, and then the whole thing bubbles away on the lowest heat for an hour and a half. But when it's done, it's genuinely one of my favourite things I cook.
The coffee and soy sauce are the secrets. They sound odd but they do exactly what a good stock does — they add darkness and depth that you can't quite place but absolutely notice. It's the kind of dish that gets better every time you make it because you start to trust the process.