This recipe comes straight from Weber: the Curried Red Lentil Burgers with Mango Chutney on weber.com’s UK site, created by the Weber Grill Academy chefs. It is a useful alternative to a black bean burger: the patties are built from red lentils, chickpeas and peanuts, with curry powder and cumin for flavor, and served in pitta bread. The recipe serves 4, with 25 minutes of prep and 5 to 7 minutes of cooking, plus 2 to 4 hours of chilling.
Weber files this under vegetarian recipes. It contains eggs and yogurt, so it is not vegan, and it includes peanuts and pitta bread, so check labels if anyone at the table has allergies. The recipe was published for UK readers, so quantities are metric with US equivalents.
Ingredients
- 100 g (3½ oz) red lentils, picked over, rinsed in a fine-mesh sieve and drained
- 480 ml (16 fl oz) water
- 1 can (400 g/13 oz) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 175 g (6 oz) roasted, salted peanuts
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 8 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs
- 8 tablespoons natural Greek yogurt
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 4 large pitta breads
- 1 baby lettuce, shredded
- ½ cucumber, thinly sliced
- 8 tablespoons mango chutney
Equipment listed: a grill-proof griddle, a burger press and a griddle spatula.
Method
In the kitchen
- Combine the lentils and water in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Skim off any foam that rises. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 to 20 minutes until tender. Drain well, rinse briefly and let cool.
- In a food processor with a metal blade, pulse the lentils, chickpeas, peanuts, curry powder, cumin, salt and pepper into a thick, slightly chunky paste. Move to a bowl and fold in the panko, yogurt, eggs and coriander.
- Using the burger press, form four gently packed patties, each about 1.5 cm (¾ inch) thick. The recipe notes that the patties will be quite wet. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.
At the barbecue
- Prepare the grill for direct cooking over medium-high heat, 200–260°C (400–500°F), and preheat the grill-proof griddle.
- Coat the griddle lightly with the oil. Place the patties on the griddle and cook over direct medium-high heat for 5 to 7 minutes with the lid closed, until firm and nicely marked, turning once carefully. In the last minute, warm the pittas on the cooking grates over direct heat, turning once.
- Cut the pittas and patties in half and put a patty half inside each pitta half. Divide the lettuce, cucumber and mango chutney among the pittas and serve immediately.
Notes on the Method
Two details in the recipe are easy to skip and worth following. First, the long chill: the recipe calls for 2 to 4 hours in the refrigerator, and it describes the mixture as quite wet. Second, the cooking surface: the patties go on a preheated, lightly oiled griddle set on the grill, not straight onto the grates, and are turned only once, carefully. Weber does not spell out its reasons, but both steps suit a soft, wet patty.
Serving
Weber’s version is a pitta sandwich rather than a bun burger: the lettuce, cucumber and mango chutney are divided among the four pittas, and the pittas are warmed on the grates during the last minute of cooking.
Where It Fits
Weber’s UK roundup of meat-free burgers describes red lentils as budget friendly and easy to blend into a patty shape. The same page suggests a simpler route for anyone short on time: a portobello mushroom cap grilled with a little olive oil and herbs as a stand-in for the patty. This lentil recipe is the more involved option, since it needs simmering, blending and a chill before it reaches the grill, so plan the prep the day before or the morning of the cookout.
Keep reading
- Forks Over Knives Grilled Black Bean Burgers, Step by Step
- Weber Spiced Cauliflower Steaks on the Grill
- Classic Grilled Cheeseburgers (Weber Recipe)
- Grilled Mediterranean Vegetable Skewers