Can you imagine a soy-free, cholesterol-free, optionally gluten-free, faux meat-free BURGER that tastes so good you could become hooked ?

Discover the magic of a great taste in a burger – healthy ingredients and a wonderful aroma that could convert any person contemplating veganism.

But better than anything ever, YOU can make these burgers in the comfort of your own home, when you like, and as many times as you wish.

They can be frozen, BBQ’d, fried, baked – and they’re child-friendly too.

Could this be the next most famous, and most loved non-meat burger of all times ? I don’t know, but what I do know is, it’s darn good and I’m proud of it.

Ladies and gentlemen, I bring to you my ‘VEGAN BURGER KING’. Enjoy, and please comment on my blog once made and tasted, and I wish you a grand Bon Appétit in the meantime. X

Makes 8 to 10 burgers depending on size

INGREDIENTS

flax egg : 2½ Tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with ½ cup warm water

¾ cup (measurement before cooking) white short grain rice (best to use white, as it’s more glutenous) – washed, drained and boiled separately

1 cup (measurement before cooking) puy lentils * – washed, drained, and boiled separately (see instructions on pack and don’t over-cook them)

1 cup pecan nuts, finely processed

1 red onion (about ½ cup), finely chopped

1 medium sized portobello mushroom (about ½ cup), finely chopped

1 cup oat flour, or other gluten free flour of your choice

2 slices wholewheat bread (or gluten free), finely processed

1/3 cup sunflower seeds, finely processed

a handful of fresh parsley, processed

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp chilli powder (optional)

½ tsp curry powder (optional)

½ tsp Himalayan salt

2 Tbsp teriyaki sauce (optional)

1 tsp Thai style seasoning

just under ¼ tsp asafoetida poweder

ACCOMPANIMENTS FOR YOUR BURGER

a few Iceberg lettuce leaves, roughly chopped (optional)

cucumber slices (optional)

gherkins (optional)

1 slice of griddle pan fried eggplant/aubergine (optional)

½ red bell pepper, sliced in strips lengthways and fried in your griddle pan

1 portobello mushroom, finely chopped and fried in your griddle pan

vegan cheese slices (optional)

thousand island dressing – a mixture of vegan mayonnaise and ketchup in equal proportions (optional)

French’s mustard (link), or both

olive oil

wholewheat (or gluten free) burger buns ( you may toast the inside of these in readiness for assembling your burger once it’s ready).

NOTE : * Puy lentils are a must for this recipe because they have the correct texture that helps create the ‘right-bite’ and texture that this burger yields. Other beans or lentils will not work anything like as well.

ANOTHER NOTE :

For an even denser burger, add more flax eggs (use 50 % more).

Also, make sure you do not overcook the puy lentils, then, when you have drained them well, allow them to dry for an hour or so next to a window so that they lose more moisture, and add a little more dried breadcrumbs.

These 3 tips will yield a denser burger. Without eggs we cannot get a burger as dense as a non-vegan one, but we sure as ever can make a tastier one, and certainly a denser one than most vegan ones.

METHOD

Start off by making your flax egg mixture. Grind your flaxseed in a coffee grinder or a high speed blender – this is far more advisable than using ready ground flaxseed, which can often turn rancid.

Use a small hand whisk or fork to mix the ground flaxseed with ½ a cup of warm water in a medium-sized bowl until well blended and thick, and then place your flax egg mix in the fridge for at least 15 minutes (ideally closer to an hour), to give it time to set.

Meanwhile boil your rice and puy lentils separately in plenty of water. Be careful not to overcook the lentils, as they need to be a little chewy, and not mushy.

Finely chop your onion and mushroom, and place in a large bowl.

Then process your pecan nuts, and add them to the onion and mushroom mixture.

Add in the remaining ingredients (to the onion and mushroom mix), except for the flax egg, and stir thoroughly.

Then add in the flax egg mix, and continue to mix until well combined – I preferred to get grubby, and used my hands to give it the final mix at this stage – I advise this because you have better control, and the flavours are better distributed.

Then, using slightly wet hands, form into tight round patties, transfer onto a pre-greased baking tray, and place in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes – this helps them to bind better in readiness for frying or baking.

Then take out the burgers you need for cooking now, and any remaining can be put in a freezer bag and frozen (they cook just fine from frozen).

If you prefer to bake rather than fry your burgers, pre-heat your oven to 400ºF (200ºC), and bake on a pre-greased baking tray for 15 minutes or so on each side until golden (I haven’t tried baking them, because I find most burgers taste far better fried than baked).

Otherwise griddle fry your burgers for 5 or 6 minutes each side, until they have a deep golden colour, then transfer into a well-greased ovenproof dish – do not cover, and place in the oven on a low heat (around 210ºF/ 100ºC) whilst you fry your veggies.

Now griddle fry your portobello mushrooms, onion slices and red pepper in olive oil until nicely charred, then sprinkle on a little teriyaki sauce.

Meanwhile lightly toast the inside of the burger buns, then remove burgers from oven.

Assemble the burgers (according to preference) by placing the lettuce, cucumber and gherkin on the base of the bun, followed by a good dousing of thousand island dressing (see above), the burger, a layer of vegan cheese (optional), the fried onions, the mustard, followed by a layer of portobello mushroom and red pepper. Then close the top of the burger, prepare to engage your jaws by opening your mouth wide, and launch in !

All recipes and content © Miriam Sorrell www.mouthwateringvegan.com 2010

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