Prepare ingredients for the patties Put the lentils in water (300 ml for 4 portions) and cook for about 20 minutes. When ready, put in a sieve and drain well. At the same time, cook the rice by putting the wholegrain rice in boiling water (1 liter for 4 portions) (optionally add salt) and cook according to the instructions on the packet. Then drain well.
Save time: Continue with steps 2 and 4-5.
We chose Pardina lentils, which do not require soaking and whose cooking time is quite short at about 25 minutes. There is quick-cooking brown rice that only takes about 10 minutes. Otherwise, it takes between 20-30 minutes.
Peel the onion and garlic and chop very finely. Also chop the dried tomatoes finely. Sauté the onions and garlic in a coated pan with 1-2 tablespoons of water. Grind the flax seeds in an electric coffee grinder. Mix psyllium husks and crushed linseed with about 4 tablespoons of water (for 4 portions) and let it soak for 5 minutes.
Finishing the patties Put all the ingredients for the patties in a measuring cup and puree with a hand blender. Do not puree the mixture too finely; there should still be a few whole grains of rice in it. Season to taste with a little salt, pepper and chili flakes. Form about 8 patties (for 4 portions) from the mixture and bake them in the oven at 180°C for about 10-15 minutes until they are firm and crispy on the outside.
Optionally, you can also fry the patties in a coated pan with a little rapeseed oil (see also "Alternative preparation").
For the purees Bring frozen peas to the boil in a saucepan with a little water and simmer for a few minutes. After cooking, drain, put in a measuring cup and puree with a dash of lemon juice and 2-3 tablespoons of water (for 4 portions), just enough to make a nice cream. Season with salt and pepper.
Put the pre-cooked white beans into a measuring cup and proceed in the same way as with the peas.
Canned beans: You can use them as an alternative, but note that they often contain additives and salt.
Arranging and Serving Serve the patties with the pea and white bean puree. A simple green salad with tomatoes and onions goes well with this. You can also use the patties as burgers. In this case, the sweet pea puree is an excellent replacement for ketchup and the bean puree is an excellent replacement for mayonnaise.
Detailed Nutritional Information per Person for this Recipe
The majority of the nutritional information comes from the USDA (US Department of Agriculture). This means that the information for natural products is often incomplete or only given within broader categories, whereas in most cases products made from these have more complete information displayed.
If we take flaxseed, for example, the important essential amino acid ALA (omega-3) is only included in an overarching category whereas for flaxseed oil ALA is listed specifically. In time, we will be able to change this, but it will require a lot of work. An “i” appears behind ingredients that have been adjusted and an explanation appears when you hover over this symbol.
For Erb Muesli, the original calculations resulted in 48 % of the daily requirement of ALA — but with the correction, we see that the muesli actually covers >100 % of the necessary recommendation for the omega-3 fatty acid ALA. Our goal is to eventually be able to compare the nutritional value of our recipes with those that are used in conventional western lifestyles.
Lentils: Because of their high-quality proteins, lentils are a very good source of plant-based protein for vegans. You should be aware, however, that they only contain a relatively small amount of the essential amino acid methionine, for example, which is why combining them with rice or beans can compensate for this in some dishes. The different types of lentils, which are all round and flat, differ in size and color. The Pardina lentil, which we use in this dish, has a gray-brown shell and a yellow interior. It has been cultivated in northern Spain for more than 800 years. Here, this type of lentil is also known as the brown lentil. Pardina lentils do not need to be soaked beforehand. The cooking time is 30 minutes. This can be reduced to 10-15 minutes by using a pressure cooker.
Brown rice: Wholegrain rice or brown rice retains its natural silver skin after harvesting. This means that wholegrain rice is more nutritious than regular rice: the vitamins and minerals stay on the grain. Wholegrain rice tastes slightly nutty and keeps you full for a long time.
Properties of psyllium husks: These plant-based swelling agents are well suited as binding agents. In addition, their high-fiber composition and swelling capacity are good for stimulating the intestinal muscles and can also help to relieve constipation. For this reason, psyllium husks are also used as a natural laxative that takes effect after 24-48 hours. However, it is important to drink enough fluids, otherwise they will make constipation worse.
Peas and white beans: Peas and beans are high in protein and filling. In this recipe, their creaminess and sweetness (pea puree) replace traditional sauces such as mayonnaise and ketchup, making them valuable side dishes.
Tips
Reduce salt and oil: We have consciously reduced salt and left out oil for health reasons. You can find more information on this topic in our book, which we describe in detail: "Salt Sugar Fat"by Michael Moss.
Flaxseed egg: Ground flaxseed mixed under water creates a sticky mass that can be used as a chicken egg substitute in baking and in other recipes that require a binding agent, such as lentil or bean patties.
Serving: You can enjoy the patties just as they are with the purées mentioned, or serve them with a green salad with tomatoes and onions, for example. You can also prepare the patties with the purées as sauces and burgers.
Alternate preparation
Version with oil: If you don't want to do without oil completely, you can use a little rapeseed oil when sautéing onions and garlic. You can also fry the patties in a pan instead of in the oven. This gives you the crust that is familiar from meat patties, but the patties also fall apart more easily than with the oven version. In both cases, we recommend refined rapeseed oil. Cold-pressed rapeseed oil is not suitable in this case, as cold-pressed oils can only be heated slightly, in the case of cold-pressed rapeseed oil up to a maximum of 120 °C, as otherwise harmful substances are created. See the following link ( cold-pressed rapeseed oil). But even refined rapeseed oil should only be heated to a maximum of 180 °C. Under no circumstances should it start to smoke, although decomposition will begin before that.
