Chilli Beef 'n' Black Beans with Pancakes

I am enjoying a love affair with black turtle beans and cooked up this tasty, colorful, satisfying, little number tonight. In the freezer, I had a batch of Becky Fenters' cooked black beans (Black Beans), but you can use canned beans if you have them on hand. This recipe is very versatile. You can cook the pancakes well ahead of time, and store them in the freezer. Alternatively, you can serve the chilli beef 'n' black beans on heated tortillas or freshly cooked, puff parathas, as I did tonight. Whichever you choose, it is just lovely with lots of chopped cilantro and sour cream on top! Preparation and cook time does not include making pancakes.

• Ready In: 25 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1  tablespoon  vegetable oil
• 1  medium onion, chopped
• 2  cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1  lb ground beef
• 1 (1 1/4ounce) envelope  taco seasoning mix
• 1  pinch crushed red pepper flakes or 1⁄2 teaspoon sambal oelek (both are optional)
• 3⁄4 cup water
• 1 (14 1/2ounce) can  diced roma tomatoes
• 1 1⁄2 cups  cooked black beans (15 ounce can, drained)
• 1  cup frozen corn kernels

• For savoury pancakes

• 2  cups self rising flour
• 1  teaspoon sugar
• 1  pinch salt
• 1  egg, lightly beaten
• 1  cup milk (or substitute buttermilk if desired)
• 1  cup water
•  vegetable oil, to grease griddle or frypan

• To serve

• 1⁄3 cup  chopped fresh cilantro leaves
•  sour cream

Directions

1. Heat vegetable oil in a heavy skillet.
2. Add onion, garlic and ground beef, and saute over medium to high heat, stirring frequently, until onion has softened and beef is brown.
3. Stir in Taco seasoning mix and 3/4 cup water, and simmer for 1 minute.
4. Add undrained, uncrushed tomatoes and slowly bring to the boil.
5. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes to allow flavours to blend and develop.
6. Add drained black beans and corn kernels, and more water if necessary, and cook a further few minutes, stirring from time to time, until hot.
7. For pancakes: Mix together the dry ingredients in a bowl.
8. It is not really necessary to sift the flour.
9. Stir in egg and liquid ingredients with a wire whisk until mixed.
10. Rub griddle or 6" diameter frypan with some oil.
11. Heat until water flicked from your fingers bounces around.
12. Pour 1/4 cup of pancake batter into frypan, for each pancake, and twirl pan until batter covers base.
13. Cook until bubbled all over the top and brown on the bottom.
14. Flip and cook until brown on other side.
15. Repeat with remaining batter.
16. (Keep cooked pancakes warm in a low oven until all the batter is used.) To serve: Top pancakes with chilli beef'n' black bean mixture, and served garnished with cilantro and sour cream to taste.