Couscous Veggie Burgers

Ok my friend Devaki, here's the couscous veggie burger recipe you asked for. Hope you like it. I just made this recipe up today and I feel it could use some tweaking to get a more firm texture. I'm trying to get a nice texture while avoiding TVP, tofu and breadcrumbs which are usually used for this purpose, and I am not fully satisfied with the results yet, so lets say these a work in progress. But that said, Kunti and everyone here really liked them and said they are blog worthy, so let me know how they work for you. :-) This recipe makes approx 20 mini burgers.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups wholewheat couscous
1 large carrot grated
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1 cup frozen peas
1 small red bell pepper chopped fine
Approx 3/4 cup hot sauce ( I made my own)
3/4 -1 cup almond meal
1 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
Approx 4 TBSP liquid smoke
Approx 4 TBSP soya sauce
1 TBSP toasted sesame oil
2 TBSP beribere seasoning (Ethiopian hot spice)
1 TBSP asafoetida
3 TBSP basil
1 TBSP cumin powder
2 TBSP curry powder
1 TBSP paprika
Oil or ghee for pan frying

Cook couscous for approx 12 mins or til done in double the amount of water, along with the carrot, celery, peas, bell pepper, soya sauce, toasted sesame oil and liquid smoke. Remove from heat and allow to seam itself for another 5 mins (it should be fluffy and a little sticky is fine).

Put into a bowl and mash in the beribere seasoning, asafoetida, basil, cumin, curry powder, paprika, mozzarella cheese, hot sauce, and extra smoke if desired.

Set aside for 15 mins or so - to cool and save your hands (!) and it also helps the couscous absorb the liquid and become more firm.

Rub some ghee or oil onto your hands. Form the burger mix into rounds approx golf ball size and flatten into small thick patties - about an inch thick - they will be abit sticky, but its ok, they firm up more once cooked and cooled somewhat.

Pan fry over medium low heat, on a pre-heated griddle with a TBSP ghee or oil on it. Turn patties over carefully when dark brown on one side. When done remove from heat and set on a paper towel to absorb some of that oil! :-)

Serve with hot sauce and a salad. Great hot or cold.