Indian Veggie Burger with Spicy Cilantro Sauce

Beets meat. But seriously, these are incredible. The bright red colour it takes on from the beetroot is quite striking, and the taste is equally as captivating. 

Ingredients

Servings: 10 burgers

Burgers

• Potatoes - 3 medium
• Corn - 1
• Shallots - 1
• Garlic - 2 cloves
• Chickpeas - 1/2 can
• Walnuts - 1/3 cup
• Carrot - 1
• Bread crumbs - 1 cup
• Beet root - 1
• Paneer - 1/2 block (~200g)
• Sugar - 1 Tbsp
• Chili powder - 1 tsp
• Turmeric - 1 tsp
• Curry - 1 Tbsp
• Cumin - 1 tsp

Spicy Cilantro Sauce

• Peri-peri sauce - 1 Tbsp
• Lemon - 1/2 squeezed
• Tahini - 1/4 cup
• Cilantro - 2 Tbsp
• Soy sauce - 1 Tbsp

Fixings

• Hamburger buns
• Onion
• Spinach
• Tomatoes

Directions

*Step-by-step directions with pictures below*

Boil potatoes 25 minutes. Boil corn for 5 minutes.

Chop up shallots, garlic and carrots. Combine spices in a ramekin. Grate paneer, and beet. Crush walnuts. Cut corn niblets off of cob.

Heat oil. Cook shallots and garlic for 1 minute. Add half of grated beet and sugar. Add spices and cook for 30 seconds. Add chickpeas and cook for 5 minutes. Place in a food processor and blend until smooth. Set aside to cool.

Heat oil. Add remaining beet, carrot, corn and walnuts and cook for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool. 

Potatoes should be done boiling at this point, set aside to cool.

Chop up cilantro and add to a bowl with remaining sauce ingredients. Stir until smooth. Use lemon juice to thin, or tahini to thicken if necessary. 

Grate potatoes, then add to a bowl with grated paneer, chickpea patty-base, and veggie mix. Mash together with hands and form into ~10 balls. Push down on ball to form a nice even patty. Coat with bread crumbs and place in fridge for 30+ minutes.

Heat oil and fry for ~3 minutes on each side. Prepare burger with toppings of your choice.

Enjoy!

Step-by-step Directions

Boil potatoes for 25 minutes.

Boil corn for 5 minutes.

Chop up shallots and garlic

Set aside ingredients for chickpea patty-base.

Chop up carrot.

Grate paneer.

Grate beet.

Cool corn, then cut off niblets.

Crush walnuts.

Heat oil in pan.

Cook garlic and shallots for 1 minute.

Add 1/2 of grated beet and sugar. Cook for 30 seconds.

Add spices, cook again for 30 seconds.

Add chickpeas and cooks for 5 minutes.

Add to food processor and blend until even.

Set aside to cool.

Heat oil.

Add remaining beet, carrot, corn and walnuts. Cook for 5 minutes and set aside to cool.

Potatoes should be done at around this point. Set aside to cool.

Gather sauce ingredients.

Chop up cilantro.

Squeeze 1/2 lemon.

Combine tahini, soy sauce, lemon, cilantro and peri-peri sauce. Stir until smooth. Add lemon to thin, or tahini to thicken if necessary. 

Grate potatoes.

Combine grated paneer, potato, chickpea patty-base and veggie mix.

Mash together with your hands.

Form into ~10 balls, then push down on the ball to form a nice patty. 

Coat with bread crumbs.

Place in fridge for 30+ minutes. To freeze, place on pan in freezer. Once frozen, transfer to a bag or tupperware. This prevents them from sticking together.

Prepare burger toppings.

Heat oil.

Cook on med-high heat for ~5 minutes.

Enjoy!