Protein burgers are a healthy alternative for fast food. This recipe uses pulses as the burger base. Pulses offer loads of benefits. They are sustainable, affordable, and nutrient-dense food. They have shown a wide range of health benefits in the prevention and management of obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes1. In this burger, we have taken a combo of soybean and cowpeas and managed to get 15.4g of protein/ serve with the dietary fiber of 7g/serve. Plant-based protein foods can provide less saturated fat than animal protein foods and help prevent heart disease.
Prep time: 15 mins
Cooking time: 10 mins
Recommended portion size: 1serve
| Ingredients | 1 serve |
| Cowpeas, soaked and boiled | 10g, 1 tbsp |
| Soybean, soaked and boiled | 10g, 1 tbsp |
| Whole-wheat flour | 15g, 1tbsp. |
| Onion, chopped | 15g, 1tbsp. |
| Bread crumbs (whole wheat bread) | 15g, 1tbsp. |
| Cabbage, grated | 10g, 1tbsp. |
| Carrot, grated | 10g, 1tbsp. |
| Ginger garlic paste | 3g, ½ tsp. |
| Tomato puree | 7.5g, ½ tbsp. |
| Walnuts, chopped | 5g, 1tsp. |
| Pepper | a pinch, 1/8 tsp. |
| Chili powder | 0.5g- ¼ tsp. |
| Amchur | 0.5g/¼ tsp. |
| salt | To taste |
| Whole wheat burger buns | 1n. |
| Lettuce leaves, inner | 1n., 3g |
| Tomato slices | 2n.,20g |
| Onion slices | 1n. 15g |
| Oil | 7.5ml, 1½ tsp. |
Method
Roughly mash the cooked cowpeas and soybeans with a potato masher or a fork.
Please note: We can also substitute the soybeans with shredded boiled chicken (15g- 2tbsp.) or boiled egg white 30g-1n.
In a medium skillet, mix the onion, ginger-garlic paste, carrot and cabbage with a tsp. of oil. Sauté over medium heat until the onion is clear. Remove from heat. Keep a tbsp. of this mixture aside.
To the rest of the mixture add the pulse mash, wheat flour, tomato puree, chopped walnuts, chili powder, amchur, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
Mould the mix into a flat round patty. Roll the patty in the breadcrumbs on both sides.
Heat a non-stick tava and grease it using ½ tsp. of oil.
Place the patty on it and shallow fry till it turns golden brown in color from both the sides. Keep aside. (Feel free to bake the patty – preheat the oven -150ºC, bake for 8-10 mins or until they are golden and cooked through)
Cut the burger bun horizontally into two and toast it lightly on the same tava on which patty was cooked to soak in all the flavors.
Apply 1 tsp. of the onion mix to the lower side of the bun half.
Place the patty, lettuce leaf, 2 tomato slices, and an onion slice over it.
Cover with an upper half of the bun.
Serve immediately with any of your favorite chutneys. Enjoy.
Tip: Hung curds (low fat) can be used as a spread on the bun to make the burger creamier and tasty.
Nutritive value /serve
| Energy | Protein | CHO | Fats | Na | Dietary |
| ( kcal) | (G) | (G) | (G) | (mg) | fiber(g) |
| 365 | 15.4 | 45 | 13.6 | 316.84 | 6.817 |
Reference
1)Viguiliouk E, Blanco Mejia S, Kendall CW, Sievenpiper JL. Can pulses play a role in improving cardiometabolic health? Evidence from systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2017;1392(1):43–57. doi:10.1111/nyas.13312
