Millet – Chickpeas Burger
Pearl Millet, called Cumbu in Tamil. I was lucky to find one this time in India.
Burgers are one of the tastiest ways to incorporate whole grains in our diet. In addition to tasting far better than the rubbery soy patties served at the burger joints, they are nutritionally rich too. Adding a handful of legumes or lentils ensures that the patties hold their shape well. With few shreds of vegetables and a sprinkle of fresh herbs, you have one winning formula for a delicious vegetarian/vegan burger.
I have been wanting to make burgers using millet for a long time now. I have successfully used chickpeas many times in burgers before. This time I sprouted ‘em before pairing with millet. With a little bit of onion, carrot and cilantro for color, and sunflower seeds for crunch, this is one of the best burgers I have had. To my surprise, they held their shape extremely well, froze beautifully and most of all, tasted delicious. I have already made these burgers twice and there are many more to come.
Millet burgers specked with sunflower seeds, served with mint-yogurt.
Millet – Chickpeas Burger(makes about 11 medium sized patties)
Ingredients
Millet – ¾ cup
Chickpeas – 1 cup, cooked till soft, sprouted if desired
Carrot – 1 cup
Onion – ¼ cup
Sunflower seeds – ½ cup
Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
Garlic – 2 cloves, minced
Cilantro – ¼ cup
Corn flour – 2 to 3 tbsp, dissolved in little water
Salt
Pepper
Oil – to spray on the pan
Hamburger buns – as needed, split and toasted
Onion, tomato, pickles, lettuce and other desired condiments
Yogurt mixed with chopped mint - to spread on the bun
Method
Pressure cook millet with 1½ cups of water for 2 whistles. Or cook the grains over stovetop till soft. Cool, fluff and transfer into a big bowl. In a food processor, grind the cooked chickpeas along with garlic, cilantro and red chilli powder. Add this to the millet bowl. In the same food processor, shred carrot and onion. Add the vegetables along with sunflower seeds into the bowl. Season with salt, pepper and mix everything together. Add corn flour+water mixture to the patty ingredients, one tbsp at a time. Mix thoroughly and try forming a ball. If it holds its shape, proceed to forming patties, else add more of the corn flour mixture.
Take about 1/4 cup of the mixture, form into a patty and cook on a flat pan/griddle sprayed with olive oil. When the patty develop charred spots on both sides, remove and serve with burger buns and condiments.
Millet-Chickpeas burger served with onion, tomato, lettuce and pickles.
Wrap the leftover patties in double foil, put them in a zip top bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
This is my third and final entry to JFI – Whole Grains, which is closing today. As announced earlier, I am on vacation and will post the roundup only during mid-October. Meanwhile you are welcome to send your entries till first week of October, in case you have missed sending 'em by now. Srivalli at Cooking 4 All Seasons is hosting the next edition of JFI, inviting Festival Treats.
