This burger is a result of three different (slightly modified) recipes from the cookbook The Best Veggie Burgers On The Planet by Joni Marie Newman. This cookbook has pretty much every possible type of veggie burger, and most of the burgers double as a main course option served with rice and veggies. This recipe is not gluten free.
2 cups cooked chickpeas
1 cup vegetable broth
1 cup diced onion
2 tbsp potato starch dissolved in 1/4 cup water to make a slurry
1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for frying
1/2 cup chopped spinach
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili pepper
2 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups chickpea flour (plus more if needed)
salt and pepper
GREEK TOPPING
1 green pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup vegan Italian dressing
FLATBREAD RECIPE
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups all purpose unbleached flour
1 tbsp sea salt
1 1/4 cups water
NON DAIRY SOUR CREAM
200 g of extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
1/4 cup raw cashews, ground into a fine powder
2 tbsp white rice vinegar
juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp white miso
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
First mix the peppers, onions and tomatoes for the Greek Topping together with the lemon juice and Italian dressing in a bowl and place in the fridge to marinate while you make the remainder of the meal.
Next prepare the Non-Dairy Sour Cream by processing all of the ingredients until smooth in a blender or food processor. Place in the fridge as well.
Now on to the exciting part! Start the falafel burgers by combining the chickpeas, vegetable broth and onion in a large pot. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer, and simmer uncovered, for 15 min.
While chickpeas are cooking, mix together ingredients for the flatbread and knead for 5 min. Divide into 8 equal portions and press flat into "pancakes". Set aside on a cleaned flat surface.
When the chickpeas and onions are cooked, remove from the heat and pour into a mixing bowl. Add the potato starch slurry and stir until combined thoroughly and mixture is thickened. Add the 1/3 cup olive oil, spinach, coriander, cumin, chili powder, lemon juice and both flours. Knead until a nice elastic dough is formed, adding more chickpea flour if dough is too sticky. Preheat the oven to 350F and line baking sheet with parchment paper. Form into 6 (or 8) patties and place on prepared sheet. Bake for 20 min uncovered.
Next heat a non stick pan over high heat and dry-fry one flatbread at a time. Fry each side for 2 minutes (use a timer), and when both sides are cooked, transfer to a plate and cover with a clean tea towel to keep warm. Keep an eye on the flatbreads as the pan gets hotter with time, and you may have to adjust the heat to avoid burning the flatbread.
When flatbreads are done, the burgers should be done as well. Finish the burgers by frying them in a panini press or electric grill (I used a George Foreman) for about 5-7 min or until golden crispy.
You can either use the burgers in the flatbreads like burgers, or break them up and eat them in a wrap style. Layer the flatbread with the burgers, Greek topping and a dollop of the non dairy sour cream :) mmmm!
