Quinoa Burgers

These vegetarian burgers (and vegan, if you omit the eggs!) have a great savoury taste created by the combination of flavours of celery, carrot, garlic and cumin. They’ll provide a filling alternative to meat, without being stodgy or heavy on the digestion. Even if you eat meat, these veggie burgers are tasty enough (we think) for you not to feel short-changed.

Forming the burgers without the egg is a little fiddly, but is possible and well worth it for an egg-free dish. This recipe makes enough for at least ten 6-7cm diameter burgers.

Serve with sliced tomatoes in a burger bun or alternatively on a bed of mixed salad leaves.

Organic Quinoa Grain 1kg (Sussex Wholefoods)

100g white quinoa

Organic Amaranth Flour, Gluten Free 1kg (Sussex Wholefoods)

100g amaranth flour, and a little extra for dusting

100% Pure Organic Coconut Butter 350ml (Tiana)

3-5 tbsp coconut butter

Cumin Powder 100g (Hampshire Foods)

1 tbsp cumin powder

Garlic Paste 150g (Hampshire Foods)

1-2 tsp garlic paste

Organic Black Pepper Powder 100g (Sussex Wholefoods)

Half a tsp of pepper powder

Fine Pink Himalayan Salt 1kg (Sussex Wholefoods)

A pinch of pink salt

Other Ingredients

1 large to medium red onion, chopped in half
3 large handfuls/50g of Baby Leaf Spinach
1 large or two small carrots, cut into quarters
2 Celery stalks, cut in half
1 yellow or orange bell pepper
2 medium eggs

Method

1) Put the rinsed quinoa in a saucepan and fill with water so that there is around double the amount of water to quinoa.
2) In a food processor, if you have one, add the onion and garlic. Pulse for a few seconds. Then add the carrot and celery. Pulse again until these ingredients are roughly chopped.
3) Finally add the bell pepper, spinach, salt, black pepper and cumin and whizz for 10-15 seconds or until all the vegetables are medium to finely minced. If you aren’t lucky enough to own a food processor then you will need to finely chop everything by hand!
4) Transfer the seasoned vegetables into a large mixing bowl.
5) When the quinoa is tender, but still slightly crunchy, remove from the heat. Drain any excess liquid. Gradually add the the cooked quinoa into the bowl of vegetables. Mix well.
6) Sprinkle the Amaranth Flour over the bowl and gradually mix, using wet hands at this stage is probably best. The natural moisture contained in the vegetables and the cooked quinoa will soak into the Amaranth flour and aid the binding process.
7) Optional – You can now add the eggs if using them.
8) Sprinkle some Amaranth Flour onto a large dinner plate, chopping or pastry board.
9) Using wet hands take small handful of the mix and squeeze into patties. Law onto your plate/board.
10) Add some of the Coconut Butter to a non-stick frying pan and allow to melt. Drop a little spare mix into the pan and when the mixture starts to sizzle you can begin adding the patties. Add extra Coconut Butter as required.
11) Wait for the base of the burgers to brown and be careful not to turn the burgers too early otherwise they will start to crack. Continue to turn as necessary and shallow fry on both sides until brown, then serve.