Vegan Burger - Firm, Grillable and Totally Divine!

• 1 cup (100g) Walnuts
• 1 cup (164g) Chickpeas (canned, drained well)
• 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
• 2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
• 1 Tbsp Vegan Mayonnaise
• 1 tsp Hoisin Sauce
• 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
• 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper
• 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
• 1/8 tsp Liquid Smoke
• 1 cup (157g) Couscous (Cooked, Packed cup)*
• 1/2 cup (75g) Vital Wheat Gluten

For Basting:

• 2 Tbsp Vegan Barbecue Sauce

For Frying:

• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil*

For Serving:

• Hamburger Buns
• Lettuce
• Sliced Tomato
• Sliced Pickles
• Sliced Avocado
• Sliced Red Onion
• Vegan Thousand Island Dressing

METHOD:

1. Add the walnuts to the food processor and process until crumbly. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
2. Add the chickpeas to the food processor with the soy sauce and tomato paste. Process until well mixed in. You might have to stop a couple of times to scrape down the sides and start it up again before it will start to mix properly. Transfer to the mixing bowl with the crushed walnuts.
3. Add the vegan mayonnaise, hoisin sauce, dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, ground black pepper, smoked paprika and liquid smoke to the mixing bowl .
4. Add in the cooked couscous and the vital wheat gluten and stir until slightly mixed. Then get in there with your hands and form it into a big ball and then knead it about 20-30 times so that the wheat gluten can activate properly. You don’t have to worry about the wheat gluten being over-kneaded and causing them to be too tough because there is not a lot of wheat gluten used, so over-kneading is not too much of a worry here.
5. Divide into four sections and then either form each section into a burger shape with your hands or pat down into a round cutter to make a nice flat patty shape.
6. Add the olive oil to a frying pan and then add in the burgers, brushing on vegan barbecue sauce onto the tops of the burgers. Fry for 5 minutes on medium high heat and then flip them brushing barbecue sauce onto the other side. For best results don’t flip the burgers more than this, burgers hold up best when flipped as little as possible, so ensure the pan isn’t so hot that they burn.
7. If you’re cooking on the grill then make sure the grill is lightly oiled so the burgers won’t stick. Brush the burgers with barbecue sauce and then grill on one side for 5 minutes and then the other for 5 minutes. The timing can be a little different on the grill so you can also just play it by ear. They’re ready when they are nicely browned on both sides.
8. Serve on hamburger buns with lettuce, sliced tomato, pickles, avocado, red onion and vegan thousand island dressing.

NOTES:

*The couscous should be packed into the cup very well, 157g which is the standard cup measure for a cup of cooked couscous is a for a very packed cup, so pack it in and press it down with a spoon and then pack in some more.

*If you’re frying the burgers in a pan then use the 2 Tbsp of olive oil. However, if you’re doing them on the grill then just make sure the grill is lightly greased so it won’t stick to your burgers.

*Nutritional information is for burger patties only (including olive oil for frying and barbecue sauce for basting) and excludes what the burgers are served with.

Loving It Vegan, April 2019