Ingredients:

2 cups red lentils

3 tablespoons oil

3 onions, sliced

3 medium sweet potato

1 egg (optional)

1 cup chopped fresh parsley

3/4 cup chopped fresh coriander

3 tablespoons of your favourite curry paste

1-2 cups of cooked peas and corn

mixture of sesame seeds, sunflower seeds and pepitas for coating burgers.

( * makes about 30 burgers )

Directions:

Add lentils to a large saucepan of boiling water and simmer, uncovered, for about 8 minutes or until the lentils are just tender but not mushy. Drain well. Heat oil in a pan and cook the onions on a low heat until tender – do not allow the onions to burn as this will give a bitter taste. Add curry and stir until fragrant. Cool the mixture slightly. Bake, steam or boil sweet potato and mash. Baking the sweet potato is preferable as steaming or boiling absorbs water making the mixture very moist.

Place half the lentils, the mashed sweet potato, ginger, egg and onion mixture in a food processor. Process for 20 seconds or until smooth. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in the remaining lentils, parsley, coriander, peas and corn and combine well. Divide mixture into burgers.

Shape the portions into round patties. (If the mixture is too soft, refrigerate for 15 minutes or until firm.) Toss the patties in the seed mix. Place the patties on a lightly greased barbecue grill or flat plate. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until browned, turning once.

Nutritional info:

Legumes are defined as any member of the pea family of vegetables: they include chickpeas, runner beans, soy beans and lentils. The seeds of such plants are known as pulses. Legumes are high in fibre, complex carbohydrates, minerals, such as calcium, and the B vitamins. They also contain some protein, although, with the exception of soy beans, not in significant amounts, and are extremely low in fat. They can be a difficult food owing to their tendency to cause flatulence, particularly if you are not used to eating them. If this is the case, take care how quickly you introduce them into your diet. It is worth noting that soy beans are a common food allergen, while pulses in general should be avoided by gout sufferers because the purines they contain can further inflame affected joints.

Enjoy