Creamy Yam Sesame Veggie Burgers

Hey folks,

So here by popular request, is the recipe for my yam sesame veggie burgers, which I created for lunch today. I love the combination of creamy yam and potato at the heart of the burger with the rich texture of toasted sesame coating the outside.  

This recipe makes approx 16 burgers and is vegan.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups brown basmati rice, rinsed
1 TBSP olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
Approx 3 1/2 -4 cups of water, or as needed

Rinse the rice. Add water and bring to a boil in a heavy bottomed pot. Lower heat to medium low and add salt and olive oil. Cover and cook til soft and a little mushy. Add extra water if required.There will be holes in the layer of rice when done. In the end if there is any excess of water, cook uncovered over low heat to allow steam to escape. Remove from heat and set aside. 

While rice is cooking prepare the following:

1 cup organic orange yams, peeled and chopped small
1 1/2 cup organic potato's, peeled and chopped small
1 small organic red bell pepper, de-seeded and chopped into small cubes
1 small organic zucchini, shredded
1 stick organic celery, finely chopped (optional)

Steam all the above vegetables, adding the zucchini towards the end. When tender remove from heat and place into a bowl. Mash well with the following seasonings:

Approx 1 tsp beribere spice
1/2 tsp asafoetida
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 tsp sea salt or to taste
1/4 tsp black salt
Approx 2 TBSP coconut oil
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, finely shredded (optional)

I like to let the mixture sit for approx 1/2 an hour before using it. Form into balls a little bigger than a golf ball. Roll in a bowl of toasted sesame seeds, and press into a round thick burger patty, avoiding any cracks. 

Add a 1 TBSP coconut oil to a hot griddle - it should be on medium low heat. Place the burger patties on the griddle and cook each side til browned nicely. Be careful when turning them to avoid breakage - use a pan knife for the job.

Put burgers on paper towels to absorb excess oil. They will firm up as they cool. 

Drizzle with a dip of your choice, garnish with fresh basil sprigs and offer with love. :-) I made a mustard tahini honey dip to dunk them in, which was a great combination! :-)

Great served warm or cold. 

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.

Rice 'n' Tofu Burgers

Hey all you veggie burger and barbecue lovers!

I just created my own veggie burger here, and since these were a hit at home, so why doent you give 'em a shot. :-)

But you will have to figure out your own amounts for the spicing because I didnt keep track of how much seasoning I used, I simply added a dash of this and that from the list below.

This are totally vegan friendly if you use oil rather than ghee for the pan frying. :-) Makes approx 14 small burgers.

Ingredients:
1 cup organic brown basmati rice
1 cup short grain brown rice
1/2 cup wholewheat couscous
2 organic carrots shredded
1 red bell pepper cut small
2 sticks celery chopped fine (optional)
1 TBSP oil or ghee
1 tsp sea salt
4-5 cups water as needed - enough to cook til rice grains are slightly mushy.

Cook all the above together, adding the couscous approx 20 mins before the rice is ready.

Mix and mash the above cooked rice mixture in a big mixing bowl with the following:

1 pkg firm organic tofu, crumbled
1/2 cup cooked crushed tomato barbecue sauce (I made my own - seasoned with olive oil, basil, salt, asafoetida, blk pepper, lemon juice/apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, liquid smoke. I made extra of this sauce to serve with the burgers).
3 TBSP organic sprouted wheat flour to help bind the mixture.

Add in the following spices etc., according to taste:
Beribere seasoning (Ethiopian spice)
Asafoetida
Cumin powder
Dried basil
Sea salt
Liquid smoke
Paprika
Blk pepper

Ghee or oil for pan frying

Heat a cast iron griddle. Add 1 TBSP ghee or oil. Form medium small patties in your palms and place onto the griddle. Turn when dark brown on bottom (flip carefully and avoid excess handling - they are fragile while hot).

When both sides are done place on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.

These delicious spicy burgers are great hot or cold as part of a larger meal or for snacking on. :-)