Beluga Lentil Burger

Welcome to my Ayurveda & Yoga blog! I’m Evangeline and I’m an RMT and holistic health coach. I started my blog during covid to stay connected to my clients and share my love of cooking healthy, AYURVEDIC INSPIRED meals.
Ayurvedic cooking is a conscious approach to preparing and cooking tasty, nutritious, balanced meals using spices and herbs, and taking into consideration the external conditions such as the season and time of day, in addition to how you are feeling.

Last update July 31, 2023

Making plant based burger doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, the basic ingredients- lentils and water are all you need, and you build it from there, adding spices, herbs, and vegetables you desire. For this veggie burger, I used beluga lentils. Check out my red lentil, and split mung bean burger recipes for other types of lentils to use.

Making lentil burgers are a favourite meal in our household. I also have lentil burgers during my Ayurvedic spring and fall detox. I had the good fortune of studying Ayurveda with Vaidya Rama Kant Mishra, who came from a long line of Ayurvedic doctors. In his family lineage called Shaka Vansiya Ayurveda, or SVA for short, there is an emphasis on diet, and to nourish with fresh, prana rich food using ingredients that will not clog the physical channels. And during detox, there is no fasting, as this will cause the liver to overheat. Have a read through my blog on detoxification to learn why, and some other considerations you should know before doing detox. Getting back to the burger…

I have made beluga burgers a number of times, soaking the lentils overnight, and soaking them for only 15-20 minutes before cooking them. When soaked overnight, the lentils will absorb water, so less water is needed for cooking. Ensure you mash the lentils after they are cooked, and let them sit afterwards before shaping them into patties.

Beluga lentil burger topped with cilantro chutney accompanied with okra fries and baked sweet potato fries

Veggie Lentil Burgers

Yields: 3-4 medium size burgers
Prep Time: 10 minutes, plus 20 minutes, or overnight soaking time for lentils
Cooking Time: 40 minutes
Cool Down Time: 5-10 minutes
Frying Time: 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup beluga lentils, soaked for 20 minutes, and rinsed well

2 ½ cups water - less water at 1 ⅓ cups if lentils are soaked overnight

1 tsp ghee or olive oil

1 Tbsp ghee or olive oil for frying

½ tsp ground fennel

½ tsp ground coriander

7 fresh curry leaves or ¼ tsp dried

⅛ tsp ground cumin seeds

⅛ tsp turmeric

2 tsps tapioca powder

2 Tablespoons flour

1 ½ cups kale, about 3 strands, stemmed and finely chopped

Soma salt to taste

Directions

1. In a medium-size pot heat ghee or olive oil on low heat, then add spices, curry leaves and tapioca powder and combine all together.

2. When aroma is released, add lentils and mix all together, then add water.

3. Turn heat up to medium-high and bring to a boil. Allow the lentils to boil for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, then cover with a lid and turn heat down to medium-low to cook for another 20-30 minutes. Half way through stir to the bottom of the pan. Add a bit of water if too dry, but not too much as the kale will add a bit of moisture to it.

4. Add kale in the last 5 minutes of cooking, mix all together and cover again to cook the kale for a couple of minutes.

5. Turn off stove. Add flour and salt, and combine all together well. At this point the lentils will be cooked, add a spoon or two of water if needed to get it mushy.

6. Let lentils sit for 5-10 minutes to cool, uncovered.

7. While lentils are cooling, heat ghee or olive oil in a frying pan on medium heat.

8. Mash the lentils, or work it with your hands until the lentils come together more, enough to form into patties.

9. Fry up the patties a few minutes one each side, until golden brown.

Serve with with okra fries or baked sweet potato fries!

Enjoy!   

Beluga lentils soaking in water

Cooked beluga lentils with kale

Use a masher or get in there and work it with your hands to form patties.

Frying up Beluga lentil patties with kale

Plant-based burgers made from lentils, like this beluga variety, are highly nutritious containing protein, fibre, folate, iron, potassium, manganese, and various antioxidants, such as found in polyphenols.

Beluga lentils are particular high in polyphenols, natural occurring compounds found in plants, which protect us from developing cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, osteoporosis and neurodegenerative diseases.

Ayurvedic Profile of Spices and Herbs

Cilantro- the plant of a coriander seed; cooling quality; used for chelating heavy metals; ensure you eat foods that bind the toxins the day you have cilantro, like barley, arrowroot, taro and okra

Coriander seeds - ushers toxins out the urinary tract

Cumin - helps in digestion and absorption of nutrients

Curry Leaves - cleanses the liver

Fennel - helps regulate and support digestion

Kale - high in vitamins and minerals; cleanses the physical channels

Turmeric- cleans the liver known in Ayurveda as a “friend to the liver”, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory  

Soma salt- also known as Soma Lavan, a rock salt; written in the Ayurvedic texts as the best salt; cooling variety of the Himalayan salts, and all other salts; contains magnesium, calcium and potassium in addition to sodium

Zucchini - cooling effect on the body, supports cleansing 

Beluga Lentil Burgers with Baked Sweet Potato Fries and Okra Fries

References

Kale - https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/kale/

Beluga Lentils - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8623742/

Lentils - https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/lentils/

Plant Polyphenols

Vaidya R. K. Mishra- Notes from Shaka Vansiya Ayurveda Courses, Practicum, Conferences and Lectures 2003-2015