There is no home comfort quite like a tasty, succulent, hot meal, and a popular Mexican classic tops the lot.
Chilli con carne is beloved by foodies across the world and is relatively simple and stress-free to cook.
It can be prepared in countless ways, namely in a slow cooker, oven, hob — and in a more modern twist — even in an air fryer.
Its renowned flavour relies heavily on spice combinations used to enhance the tomato base and of course the beef mince.
Yet many home cooks opt for their own secret ingredients to give it an iconic and distincitive twist.
Commonly found in sweet treats, especially around Easter time, it seems cocoa very much has its place in savoury cooking.
Cocoa might seem an odd choice at first but the combination of chocolate and chillis is as old as time. Adding some to your chilli lends depth and richness to the spicy dish, making it both more savoury and satisfying.
It is also a great suggestion for those with vegan or vegetarian diets, adding the hearty flavours that are missed when cooking without meat.
But don’t just take our word for it. A Reddit post asking for the best ingredients to add to a chilli was flooded with a number of suggestions, but many agreed cocoa was the ‘saving grace’.
“Just a little cocoa, try it” suggested one user, which saw another reply: “This would be my number one suggestion, and perhaps some worcestershire, fish sauce or marmite.”
Being more specific, a user advised: “Unsweetend cocoa powder, not hot cocoa mix. But I also use 85 to 90% high quality dark chocolate, same result and the colour and aroma change is incredible.”
The best time to add the unsweetened cocoa powder is when you add your dry spices like chilli powder and cumin
Let it simmer for a little while, and then give it a little taste — but prepare your mind to be blown.
Like all good cooks, don’t be afraid to experiment further, and if you feel like it could be helped with another teaspoon or two, go right ahead.