Smoky black-eyed bean and tomato stew recipe

Simplicity is best. That’s what I had in mind when I came up with the recipe for this stew, where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. It provides the most perfect, comforting bowl of warmth that is welcome as a lunch or dinner, and any leftovers on toast topped with an egg make a great breakfast. A little cheese on top works wonders, but I really like it just as it comes, perhaps with a hunk of crusty bread on the side.

SERVES

Four to six

INGREDIENTS

• Olive oil 2 onions, finely chopped

• 4 fat garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• 1 tsp chilli flakes

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• 2 tsp ground cumin

• 2 tsp cocoa powder

• 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes (reserve the liquid from 1 can, drain the second can)

• 2 x 400g cans black-eyed beans, drained and rinsed

• Maldon sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper=

METHOD

1. Add enough olive oil to coat the base of a large saucepan and set over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for six to eight minutes, or until softened and translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for a few more minutes until softened. Add all the spices, the cocoa powder and a generous amount of salt and pepper to the saucepan and stir well.

2. Now mix in the tomatoes, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, cover the pan with a lid and cook slowly for a further 30 minutes, or until the tomato has thickened and cooked down to a sauce. Taste the stew and adjust the seasoning if necessary, then stir in the beans. If the stew is too thick, use a little of the reserved canning liquid from the tomatoes to loosen the sauce.

3. Cook for 15–20 minutes to warm the beans through and allow them to take on the flavours of the spices, then serve.

Bazaar by Sabrina Ghayour is published by Octopus (£26). Order for £XX from books.telegraph.co.uk or call 0844 871 1514