Fantastic Veggie Burgers

My parents just sent me my favorite vegetarian cookbook in the whole wide world: Vegetarian Planet. I had to make something from it for Sunday night dinner; I literally looked through the whole book on Sunday morning, so there was no other choice. After hemming and hawing, we decided to make Curried Carrot-Walnut Burgers with a side of Toasted Sesame Slaw. The burgers have a meaty consistency from the ground nuts and beans that really boost up the powerful flavor from the curry, coriander, and fennel. The slaw couldn't be an easier way to add punch to any barbecue meal.


Toasted Sesame Slaw (Vegetarian Planet, Didi Emmons)

1/2 small green cabbage head, cored and sliced as thin as possible
1/2 medium red onion, sliced thin
1 large carrot, grated or cut into thin julienne strips
1 1/2 Tbs. dark sesame oil
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1 Tbs. sugar
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. salt
3 Tbs. sesame seeds
3 Tbs. dry-roasted, unsalted peanuts

1. Put the cabbage into a bowl with the red onion, and fluff the cabbage and onion with your hands to separate the pieces. Add the carrot, and mix well.
2. In a small bowl, combine the sesame oil, vinegar, sugar, mustard, and salt. Add the dressing to the cabbage and onion, and mix well. Refrigerate the slaw for at least 1 hour so the cabbage can soften.
3. Toast the sesame seeds to bring out their flavor: Place a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the seeds, let them sit for 30 seconds, then begin to shake the pan periodically. If you are using white seeds, toast them until they are uniformly browned; if you have black seeds, toast them until they taste nutty and toasted. Transfer the seeds to a small plate, and let them cool.
4. Just before serving, add the sesame seeds and peanuts to the slaw, and toss well.

Curried Carrot-Walnut Burgers (Vegetarian Planet, Didi Emmons)

Make sure you use a soft roll with your burger. We tried to use a crunchy-crusted roll, and the burgers were too soft to hold together with the tougher outside.

2 Tbs. canola or corn oil, or a bit more
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp. ground coriander seeds
1 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. fennel seeds
1 1/2 cups (about 4 oz.) sliced white button mushrooms
1 1/2 cups cooked and drained chickpeas (garbanzo beans; canned ones are fine)
4 medium carrots, grated
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
3 Tbs. chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp. salt
fresh-ground black pepper to taste
unbleached white flour (for dredging and forming the burgers)
5 to 6 slices cheddar cheese (optional)

1. In a large saucepan, heat 1 Tbs. of the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, and saute it, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Add the spices, and continue cooking, stirring often, for 3 minutes more. Add the mushrooms, and saute 5 minutes more, stirring frequently. Take the pan off the heat.
2. Transfer the contents of the pan to a food processor. Add the chickpeas. Run the machine in 1-second spurts until the mushrooms and chickpeas are well chopped (do not puree them).
3. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl, and mix in the carrots, walnuts, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Form the mixture into five patties, using plenty of flour to dust your hands and to prevent the patties from getting sticky.
4. In a large skillet (not non-stick), heat the remaining oil over medium heat. Cook the burgers without crowding them, until the undersides are a deep golden brown, about 4 minutes. Flip the burgers, and cook them about 4 minutes more. (If you need to do this in two batches, add a bit more oil once the first batch of burgers is done.) If you want to make cheeseburgers, place a slice of cheese over each burger after flipping it, and let the cheese melt while the burgers finish cooking. Serve the burgers hot.