Red bean hemp burgers- vegan

Every cook should have a great veggieburger recipe under their belt; they're a real crowd-pleaser, and relatively quick and easy. I don't know what the situation is elsewhere, but in the UK commercially- made veggieburgers are definitely in the junk food category, and all contain ingredients which are not offerable to Krishna, many of them even egg. I always like to include some ultra- nutritious ingredients in mine, and this time it's hemp flour. Hemp flour (as opposed to hemp protein powder) is the milled residue from pressing hemp seed for oil. It has a somewhat earthy flavour and dark olive green colour. It is 1/3 protein, 1/5 carbohydrate and contains a small quantity of fatty acids. 

Don't be put off by the long list of ingredients in this recipe; these burgers are simple to make. The quantities given here will make 6 good-sized ones. I like to serve them with oven- cooked potato wedges and a large salad, topped with a home-made relish (see quick tomato chutney 11.2.11, plum chutney 18.9.11). Bread is an optional extra.


About 500ml cooked red kidney beans (equivalent to 2 cans, drained)
4 rounded tabs hemp flour
3 level tabs yeast flakes
2 level tabs porridge oats
2 level tabs sesame seeds
2 tsps seasalt
1 level tab mixed dried herbs
1/2 -1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp hing
1 tsp paprika
2 tabs tomato puree
2 bell peppers

• Mash the beans thoroughly, and add the rest of the dry ingredients.
• Grate in the bell peppers
• Mix well; if the mixture seems too moist add a bit more oats. It should hold together when gently squeezed in your hand.
• Divide into 6 pieces, roll each into a ball and flatten into patties.
• Place on an oiled baking sheet and cook at 200C until brown, turning carefully halfway through. (About 20 minutes.)

Note: This recipe is not designed with frying in mind- if you do want to shallow-fry the burgers, you may have to adjust the moisture content of the mix.