fbpx

Summer Chickpea-Cilantro-Sesame Burgers

Here’s a summer bonus!  Vege-burgers with a twist.  Easy to make, just put it all in your food processor.

Extra burgers, ready to freeze

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 c cooked chickpeas (garbanzos) – that’s a 15oz can
  • 1/3 c red onion, coarsely chopped
  • 1 large garlic clove or 3 small, chopped
  • 1 t cumin, coarsely ground
  • 3/4 t salt
  • 1 t turmeric
  • 1 t sumac
  • 2 T ground sesame seed (grind in your spice grinder)
  • 1/2 c cilantro, chopped (including all but toughest stems)
  • juice and zest of one large lemon
  • 2 T olive oil
  • 2 T orange juice (optional)
  • 1/4 c breadcrumbs

Here’s the process

  1. If you are cooking the garbanzos, you’ll need about 1/2 cup dry for about 1 1/2 cups cooked.
  2. Toast and set aside 4 slices of whole wheat bread.
  3. Toss in your food processor:  red onion, garlic, spices (salt, cumin, turmeric, sumac, ground sesame seed, and chopped cilantro
  4. Add 1/2 of the cooked garbanzos and puree
  5. Add the other 1/2 of the garbanzos and pulse to coarsely grind
  6. Turn the mix into a big bowl
  7. Tear the toast into ~1″ pieces and pulse to coarse breadcrumbs in the food processor
  8. Add the breadcrumbs to everything else, mix it all up, and test for seasoning.  You may want to add more salt, lemon, etc.  The sumac is a lemony flavor.
  9. Play with adding other herbs or spices such as parsley instead of cilantro, harissa, paprika or smoked paprika, or limes instead of lemons.

About 1/4 cup mix for each burger.  On a hot griddle or skillet, usually 4 minutes on the 1st side and 3 on the 2nd at medium works well.  If the pan is nice and hot you won’t need much (if any) oil.

Extras or you made a lot: I use a big deep wooden spoon to mold the burgers, and put them on a parchment-sheeted cookie sheet for quick freezing and storing in an old yogurt tub, with a layer of parchment between each burger.

Fabulous on big bunveggie burger on sesame buns with fresh lettuce, tomato, cuke, sproats, and whatever else pleases you: ketchup, mustard, worchester sauce, salsa, chutney, melted gruyere, mozzerella, etc.