Makes 12 – 14

If you’re not a fan of a meat burger, look no further than this Falafel Burger patty. It doesn’t taste like meat, because it’s not meant to – but it’s loaded with flavour! If you enjoy Falafel and Middle Eastern flavours, you’ll love this, and the ease with which you can make it! This recipe is ideal for making in advance as it freezes well, so you can make batches to use as you need them.

Here’s What Goes In

• 3 cups of dried chickpeas, soaked in water overnight (or 2 cans of chickpeas, drained)
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• 3 teaspoons of ground cumin,
• 1 teaspoon of chilli (or to taste)
• 3 teaspoons of ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 2 teaspoons of ground cardamom
• Half a cup of fresh parsley or coriander (optional)
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup of flour, and some extra for dusting
• Vegetable oil for frying

How To Do It

Combine all your dry spices in a small bowl so that they are ready to go. Finely chop and fry the onion with the garlic until soft and transparent. Transfer this into your food processor, together with the chickpeas (which have been drained) and pulse until mostly pureed and blended. Now add the remaining ingredients – spices, herbs, flours and eggs – and process again until you have a well-blended mixture, which should be textured but not lumpy. Refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes before you work the patties.

When ready, lightly flour your kitchen surface as well as your hands. Take a golf ball-sized scoop of the mixture, flattening and shaping it in your palms until it resembles a burger patty that you’re happy with. Flour it slightly and set aside to rest until you’ve made the whole batch.

Now, in a heavy-based frying pan, on a moderate heat, fry the patties in vegetable oil for 5 to 7 minutes or until golden brown. Turn them over from time to time so that they cook evenly.

You can serve these patties inside pita bread or on a traditional burger bun, with any of your favourite toppings! Ideas include tahini, tzatziki, lettuce, onions, halloumi, tomatoes, chilli and a wedge of lemon.