Cassoulet Mauricien (Mauritian Cassoulet)

Ingredients:

500g Cannellini beans
1 medium onion, finely chopped
500g sausage (bratwurst, chorizo etc)
200g smoked bacon, cut into 3cm pieces
500g beef cubed in bite-sized pieces
225g canned chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tbsp chopped thyme
8 cloves
1 tsp garlic, crushed
1 tsp freshly-grated ginger
4 hot red chillies, finely chopped
salt, to taste
oil

Method:

Wash the cannellini beans then soak in plenty of cold water for a hour. Drain, then place in a pot with 1l water (best done in a pressure cooker). Season with salt and the cloves then bring to a boil and simmer for an hour (about 20 minutes if using a pressure cooker).

Place a large metal casserole dish on medium heat and add about 4 tbsp oil. When hot add the sliced onion, garlic, ginger thyme and cook until the onion becomes translucent. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes break down and a smooth sauce forms. Add the beef pieces and stir to incorporate. Continue to cook for about 10 minutes then add the bacon, sausages and chillies and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Drain the cannelloni beans (reserve the cooking liquid) and add the cooked beans to the tomato stew. Cook for a further 10 minutes, or until the beans have heated through. Add the reserved bean liquid to the pan, stir to mix and continue to cook for about 20 minutes, or until the sauce reaches your preferred consistency.

Season the dish and serve immediately with rice and/or Breads.