Indian Bean Burger

I absolutely love a burger, or to be honest, most things that are tasty between two bits of bread.  How can you go wrong?

So I found myself feeding the kids, my tea was a way off and I had a hankering for something tasty pronto. A quick dig through the cupboards and the freezer revealed the usual staple of beans in tins and some burger buns in the freezer. With condiments never in short supply, a plan and/or test was hatched.

How quick can a tasty bean burger be knocked up and would it scratch my itch?
In short, quick and yes!

I also got to use my burger press, further justifying its ‘questionable but still required’ purchase earlier in the year. To be honest, with Dave also buying one, it’s now an essential item on the kitchen gadget list, especially if you want to indulge some OCD.

One other benefit is that this meal is super healthy so as much as we like something more than a little naughty here at the FatSteak Club, a little bit of the good stuff never goes miss either.

Step 1 - The Burger

• Drain a tin of cannellini beans and put in a bowl

• Add the spices, minced garlic and bread crumbs and season well

• Get in there with your hands, squelch away until it becomes a ball. You want some beans mushed, some whole but it does need to stick together.
  You want some texture to your burger

• Ideally, with your burger press, make 2 patties

Step 2 - Cook and assemble

• In a hot pan, heat up your ghee and add your bean burger. Cook for a few minutes each side or until just browned

• Whilst the burger is cooking quarter a 2-inch chunk of cucumber and slice thinly. Mix with some natural yogurt and a splash of olive oil

• Lightly toast your bun in a toaster so both sides of top and bottom are golden and crisp

• Add a layer of mango chutney to the bottom

• Then some spinach

• When the burger is done, add that and give another generous seasoning

• Cover lavishly with the make-shift raita dip

• Finally, drizzle something spicy. I had some homemade mango chutney so I used the oil from that over the top to add some punch

• Finally, top off with the bun

Indian Bean Burger - Serves 2

• 1 x 400g tin cannellini beans

• Pinch of turmeric

• 1/2 tsp ground coriander

• 1/2 tsp ground cumin

• 1/2 tsp ground ginger

• 1 tsp mashed garlic

• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs

• Ghee for cooking

• Burger Buns

• Cucumber

• Full-fat natural yogurt

• Olive oil

• Mango chutney

• Spinach

• Something punchy to top it like lime pickle