richard If you like falafel and you like burgers, you’ll love this ‘falafel’ burger. Although perhaps as it is technically neither a falafel nor a burger it should be written ‘Falafel’ ‘Burger’ or perhaps ‘Falafel’ (Burger) or even “{‘Falafel’ [‘Burger’]}!”.
Preparation time: 15 minutes plus 30 minutes chilling
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Skill level: Easy
Ingredients
- 1 can of chickpeas
- 1 small onion – finely chopped
- 1 small/medium aubergine – cut into ½” cubes
- bread crumbs – 75g
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp harissa paste
- thyme – 3/4 small sprigs
- olive oil
- plain flour – for shaping
Start by lightly frying the aubergine until soft (5 -10 minutes). When cooked, place in a food processor along with all the other ingredients except the flour and oil. Pulse until coarsely chopped. Season to taste.
Divide the mixture into 12, and with well floured hands shape into burgers. Put on floured plate(s), cover with cling film and place in the fridge for 30 mins to chill. This process can be sped up by using the freezer.
Heat a little oil in a heavy frying pan and cook the burgers for 4-5 minutes each side.
Verdict: These were good. The flavour of the cumin came through and the harissa paste gave them a little heat. They also kept their shape when frying which is always a bonus. We ate the spares cold for lunch the next day and they were just as tasty.
Drink: Fizzy water.
Entertainment: ‘Me, You and Everyone We Know’ on DVD. What in the name of all that is holy was I thinking when I added this dross to the rental list. It claimed to be “a charming, quirky romantic comedy that is entertaining from start to finish” but I wouldn’t know as we got nowhere near the finish. We heroically managed half an hour before lunging for the remote.
Self-consciously ‘kooky’ and twee drivel. The only positive thing to be said is that it was not as bad as ‘I Heart Huckabees’
