The Washington Post, August 4, 2010
They're called burgers, but there's no need to put these meatless creations between the top and bottom of gluten-free or regular hamburger buns. The cumin seed and chickpea flour are simple additions that provide flavor and texture.
The flour is available in some organic markets and in many Indian markets (where it often is called gram flour). Or you can grind dried chickpeas in a food processor.
Serve with carrot sticks or baked sweet potato fries.
Makes five 4-inch patties
Ingredients:
Directions:
Stem the spinach if desired; wash and dry the leaves.
Heat a dry medium skillet over medium heat. Crush the cumin seeds, then add them to the skillet and toast for a few minutes, stirring, until fragrant. Add 1 teaspoon of the oil; once it is very hot, add the spinach; cook for 2 or 3 minutes, using tongs to move the spinach around so it is completely wilted. Transfer to a plate to cool.
Meanwhile, drain and rinse the chickpeas if using canned. Transfer 1 1/2 cups of them to the bowl of a food processor, along with the eggs and salt. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze one half into the food processor bowl (to yield about 2 tablespoons), being careful not to let any lemon seeds drop in. Pulse 4 or 5 times, to the consistency of a chunky hummus.
Squeeze out as much moisture as possible from the cooled spinach, then chop finely and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of chickpeas; use a potato masher or your hands to mash them coarsely into the spinach.
Add the chunky chickpea-egg mixture and stir to combine, then stir in the chickpea flour. The mixture should be a little sticky. Add flour as needed by tablespoon increments if the mixture is too watery; add water as needed if it is too dry. Form 5 patties of equal size.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a large ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers. Cook the patties for 5 minutes, until nicely browned on the bottom, then turn them over and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until browned on the second side. Transfer to the oven and bake for 6 to 8 minutes, until firm and cooked through.
Serve warm; cut the remaining lemon half into wedges for serving.
Adapted from "Veggie Burgers Every Which Way," by Lukas Volger (The Experiment, 2010).
210 calories, 9g fat, 2g saturated fat, 85mg cholesterol, 530mg sodium, 23g carbohydrates, 6g dietary fiber, 4g sugar, 11g protein.
