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The Weekly Burger: sustainable burger

James Scales
The Commuter

Monday, April 20, 2009

Veggie Burger Flickr photo by Jasonlam

Being that there is a green holiday this week, and my significant other is always reminding me it’s much more sustainable to eat a pound of vegetables than it is to eat a pound of beef, it was decided that I research a “green” burger. Finding a lot of veggie burgers that tasted disgusting, I was almost resigned to throw some spinach on a bun and laugh at the reaction I would get. But, through perseverance and some very hungry vegetarian friends, a “burger” was born. Not just one that tasted pretty good for having no meat, but one that might be a bit more sustainable than our normal beef. So, without the wait, here is the Better Veggie Burger.

Better Veggie Burger
Makes four burgers

Ingredients:

8 ounces brown rice, cooked
8 ounces garbanzo beans, canned or dried and soaked, and run through a food processor or finely crushed.
3 ounces carrots, shredded or run through a food processor
2 ounces mushrooms, shredded or run through with the carrots
Dried whole oats as needed
An herb you like, parsley or basil, cut into strips
Garlic to taste, minced
Salt and Pepper to taste
Panko bread crumbs to coat
Oil for frying

Equipment:

A fryer is very useful; so is a wok, but unnecessary. If you have neither, just get a deeper pan, even if you need to get a small pot to fry in. Basically any vessel that is about an inch taller than your finished patties will be good enough. A food processor is highly recommended, else a sharp knife. A rice cooker is a nice appliance to have, even if you don’t make this burger!

Procedure:

Start by cooking your rice. If you have a rice cooker, you should know how to use it. If not, consult your user’s manual. Take your brown rice and just give it a quick rinse, making sure that all the grains have at least been wetted. If you don’t have a rice cooker, put it in a pot with enough space for three times what you put in, add one and a half parts water and one part brown rice. Turn on to high heat until it boils. Once a full, rolling boil is reached, turn it down to low heat and cover. Cook there for about 20 minutes. After the time is up, turn off the heat and let cook for 10 minutes. Do not remove the lid until you are ready to use the rice!

Get your carrots out, peel and cut them into small pieces if you are going to run them through a food processor. If not, shred them like normal. Chunk up the mushrooms and set them with the beans through the food processor, or mash them together with a knife in a mincing-like fashion. Add in the carrots and the rice. Stir it all together, and add the herb and garlic, salt and pepper to taste. If it’s too wet and wont stay together in a ball shape, add some of the dried oats.

Preheat the oil to 350. Fashion patties out of your bean and rice mixture, then coat with the breadcrumbs and fry. About three to four minutes flipping if necessary. Top off with some tomato and lettuce, your favorite sauce and enjoy!

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