Red Lentil Burger
WELCOME TO MY BLOG! I’M EVANGELINE & A MOM. ALSO, AN RMT, AND AYURVEDA-YOGA COUNSELLOR. I STARTED MY BLOG DURING COVID TO STAY CONNECTED TO MY CLIENTS AND SHARE MY LOVE OF COOKING HEALTHY, AYURVEDIC MEALS.
AYURVEDIC COOKING TAKES A BALANCED, HEALING APPROACH FOR YOUR DAILY COOKING NEEDS. YOU WILL FIND SIMPLE, EASY TO MAKE NOURISHING MEALS I HAVE MADE FOR MY FAMILY, WITH A DOSE OF AYURVEDA & YOGA WISDOM.
Here’s a quick and tasty recipe for veggie burgers made with fresh, whole ingredients. It’s so simple that the base requires only red lentils, water, and a bit of ghee or olive oil. Once you get the hang of it, you can easily customize it with your favorite spices, greens, or grains—whatever your heart desires.
Through practice, I’ve discovered that a key factor to helping lentil burgers hold together is letting the lentils sit in open air for a few minutes after cooking. This allows just the right balance between air and moisture to form a perfect patty.
Over the years, I’ve also come to appreciate one of Ayurveda’s guiding principles: balancing the six tastes—sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, and astringent—using natural, seasonal ingredients. Lentils, which are high in fiber and have a mild astringent taste, pair beautifully with sweet vegetables like zucchini, carrots, and corn. It’s all about balance, variety, and nourishment.
Vegetarian Burger served with Zucchini and Carrot Ribbons sautéed in Ghee and Thyme and Fresh Corn on a bed of Arugula and Beet Leaves wilted with Ghee
Red Lentil Burger
Yields: 4 medium size burgers
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Cool Down Time: 5-10 minutes
Frying Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients
1 cup red lentils
1 cup water
1 tsp ghee or olive oil
1 Tbsp ghee or olive oil for frying
½ tsp ground fennel
½ tsp ground coriander
⅛ tsp ground cumin seeds
⅛ tsp turmeric
1 tsp arrowroot powder
1 Tablespoon flour
Soma Salt to taste
directions
1. Soak lentils in cold water for 10 minutes, then rinse well until the water is clear.
2. In a medium-size pot heat ghee or olive oil on low heat, then incorporate the spices and arrowroot powder.
3. When aroma is released, add lentils and mix all together, then add water.
4. 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 low to cook for another 10 minutes. If you wish to add some soft leafy greens, you can do so in the last couple of minutes of cooking.
5. Open lid. At this point the lentils will be cooked and mushy. Add flour and salt and combine all together. Let sit for about 10 minutes until the lentils become more firm to form into patties.
6. Fry up the patties on medium heat in ghee or olive oil until golden brown on each side.
Serve with grains or in a bun, and with vegetables topped with your favourite toppings or chutney, or a simple drizzle of lime!
