Ingredients
- 3-4 medium (approx 10-inch) courgettes
- Olive oil
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 350g minced beef
- 1 tsp cumin, ground
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1½ tsp harissa paste or 1 tsp chili powder
- 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
- 500g passata or sieved tomatoes
- ½ tsp brown sugar
- 50g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
- Sea salt, to taste
- 400g tin of kidney beans (280g is drained weight)
- 300g cooked rice (brown basmati gives a lovely texture)
- To serve: large bunch of coriander, roughly chopped; salsa, sour cream or Greek yoghurt, lime wedges
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
- Halve the courgettes horizontally and place on a roasting tin. Drizzle with olive oil and roast for 10-15 minutes until firm but a little soft in the centre. Use a sharp knife to cut around the edges leaving a border of about an inch. Use a spoon to scoop out the flesh. Set the hollowed shells aside.
- Pour two tablespoons of oil into a heavy-based pan and saute the onion for five minutes, or until soft. Increase the heat and add the minced beef. After about three minutes add the spices and move the meat and onions around the pan so they brown evenly. Add the chopped and sieved tomatoes along with the sugar. Once the mixture begins to bubble, lower the heat and leave to simmer and thicken for eight to 10 minutes. Stir through the chocolate until melted.
- Taste for seasoning. Remove from the heat. Stir through the rice and beans. Spoon the mixture into the hollowed-out courgettes. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 35-40 minutes until the courgette is al dente.
- To serve: Scatter the coriander on top and add the salsa, lime juice and sour cream.
