I wanted to call these chickpea burgers but my son disagreed. He said they are closer in looks and texture to crab cakes so call them what they are, chickpea cakes. You don’t eat these on a bun but rather on top of a bed of fresh leafy greens. Beans are one of my favorite sources of plant-based protein and fiber. They are versatile, satisfying and nutrient packed. Try to eat at least 1-2 cups of beans every week.
Chickpea Cakes with Cilantro Cucumber Sauce*
Ingredients
- 1 cucumber (peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded and diced)
- 1 ¼ cups plain low-fat Greek yogurt
- 6 scallions (sliced thin)
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro (minced)
- 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas (rinsed)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garam marsala
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 cup panko crumbs or whole wheat bread crumbs
- 1 shallot (minced)
- Canola oil
Directions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Pulse chickpeas in a food processor to coarse puree, about 8 pulses. Whisk together eggs, oil, garam marsala, cayenne, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Stir in panko or bread crumbs, shallot, chickpeas, remaining ½ cup yogurt, remaining scallions, and remaining 3 tablespoons cilantro until combined. Divide mixture into 8 equal portions. Pack firmly into 1-inch patties, and place on parchment lined baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour or up 24 hours.
- While patties are chilling, toss cucumber with ¾ cup yogurt, 2 tablespoons scallions, and 1 tablespoon cilantro in a small bowl. Cover and place in refrigerator.
- Heat a small amount of canola oil (1-2 tablespoons) in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium, high heat. Gently place 3-4 patties in the skillet and cook until browned on first side, about 6-8 minutes. Gently flip patties and cook until golden brown on second side. Transfer patties to platter and tent with foil. Cook remaining 4 patties.
- Serve on a bed of leafy greens topped with cilantro cucumber sauce and a wedge of lime.
*Recipe from The Make-Ahead Cook, America’s Test Kitchen, 2016
Note: Garam marsala is an aromatic and flavorful blend of spices that includes cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, black pepper and coriander. It’s one of my favorite spice blends and can be used in many recipes. This recipe calls for cilantro but if you are not a fan of this herb, many in my family are not, substitute fresh basil, dill or parsley.
JudyMatusky.com
Judy Matusky, RDN, LDN 