Lentil Chili with Cocoa

Ingredients

• 200 g lentils
• 1 onion
• 4 Garlic cloves
• 2 red chili peppers
• 800 g Hokkaido pumpkin flesh
• 120 g corn kernels (canned; drained weight)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp tomato paste (15 g)
• 400 ml Vegetable broth
• 0.5 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 30 ml espresso
• 0.5 tsp cocoa powder (3 g, strongly defatted)
• Salt
• Pepper
• handful coriander (5 g)
• 4 tbsp plant‑based crème fraîche (20 g)
• 20 g dark chocolate (min 70% cocoa)

Instructions

1. 1.

   Rinse lentils and cook in boiling water for about 35 minutes until just tender.

2. 2.

   Meanwhile, peel and finely chop onion and garlic. Halve the chili peppers lengthwise, deseed, wash, and chop. Dice the pumpkin flesh into cubes. Drain the corn kernels.

3. 3.

   Heat oil in a pot. Sauté onions, garlic, and pumpkin for 5 minutes over medium heat. Stir in tomato paste, add corn and chili, deglaze with broth, then season with cinnamon, cumin, espresso, cocoa powder, salt, and pepper. Simmer chili for 10 minutes over low heat.

4. 4.

   Wash coriander, pat dry, and roughly chop. Drain lentils, let them drain, add to the chili, and cook for another 5 minutes.

5. 5.

   Season the lentil chili with salt and pepper, serve in bowls, top each with a dollop of plant‑based crème fraîche, garnish with coriander, and sprinkle over dark chocolate shavings.