Chef Manager Housien Koussan and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Sakkie Pretorius have paired up to put a fresh spin on the veggie burger.

Wine recommendation
Sakkie says: “My recommendation for this dish would be a Mornington Peninsula or northern Tasmanian Pinot Grigio. For those who prefer red, try a Shiraz Viognier from South Australia’s Barossa Valley or McLaren Vale, or the Yarra Valley in Victoria.

Vegetarian burgers with cucumber raita

Ingredients
The patties
600g chickpeas, soaked and boiled
3 tsp red curry paste
3 tbsp coriander, chopped
1 egg yolk
1 zucchini, grated
1 carrot, grated
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
100g bread crumbs, for binding
Salt and pepper to taste
30ml of vegetable oil, for cooking patties

The sauce (cucumber raita)
2 cups of Greek yoghurt
1 cucumber, grated
1 tsp ground cumin powder, roasted
Chilli powder, to taste
Chopped coriander

The filling
10 freshly baked whole meal buns, cut in half
80g rocket
2 tomatoes, sliced
1 Spanish onion, sliced
3 avocados, sliced

Method
Place the chickpeas in a pot of salted water and boil until soft.

While the chickpeas are boiling start preparing the pattie ingredients. Grate the vegetables and chop the coriander for both the patties and sauce.

Toast the cumin powder in a pan until aromatic. Set aside to cool.

In a bowl combine the yoghurt and grated cucumber. Add toasted cumin spice and chili to taste.

Drain the chickpeas and set aside to cool.

Slice the avocados, Spanish onion and tomatoes for the filling and set aside with the rocket.

Cut the buns in half, ready for filling.

Prepare the patties by crushing the chickpeas with a fork, and then add the rest of your ingredients saving the bread crumbs until last. Season with salt and pepper.

Split the mixture into 10 even sized balls then flatten until 2cm thick.

Place a tbsp of vegetable oil into a pan and cook the patties until they are golden brown on both sides.

Before serving, build the burger by placing the filling on the bottom, the pattie above and the cucumber riata on top.

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