Vegan chickpea patties

I didn’t choose the vegan life, the vegan life chose me. Just kidding, I’m not actually a vegan, or even a vegetarian. What I am, is crap at eating things other than bread, pasta, pastry or starchy carbs. I recently made the decision to start eating meals that are not based around meat, or the aforementioned tummy fillers. The dairy prices in NZ have been creeping up for years, and now even cheap cuts of meat like beef mince have surpassed the price of chicken, the former elite meat. I’ve never been overly attached to meat, so I bought a can of chickpeas, and here’s what I did with it. I searched loads of chickpea patty recipes online, of course choosing the one that requires the least amount of steps (you’re welcome), and taking out the silly ingredients  (you know, the ones no one has and will never use in anything else ever again if they do buy it). These could be used to substitute meat patties in burgers, or just eaten with a side salad if you dread the thought of eating rabbit food alone. YOU WILL NEED:

• Food processor (or a blender if you refuse to buy a food processor like me)
• Large mixing bowl
• Mixing spoon
• Frying Pan
• Coconut oil for frying

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 x 400g cans of chickpeas (I used Watties chickpeas in spring water)
• 1 grated carrot
• 1 diced onion
• 6 garlic cloves (I used 6 tsp of crushed garlic)
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 4 TBS flour (you can use whatever flour you like if you use those fancy people flours)
• salt and pepper to taste

METHOD:

1. Drain the chickpeas, and rinse under the tap in a colander (warning, chickpeas smell gross but don’t worry they will be yummy at the end!)
2. Blend the chickpeas in your food processor until smooth (or in a blender like I did, with a small dash of water to keep it moving)
3. Put the blended chickpeas into a large mixing bowl, and add the rest of your ingredients mixing thouroughly
4. Heat the coconut oil in a fry pan on medium heat
5. Make the mixture into patties, frying for around 5-10 minutes each side or until golden (make sure you add a few TBS of coconut oil per batch to make sure you get a crispy coat)

The end result is a flavorful patty with a delicious crispy coat, and certainly tasty enough that you won’t feel like you are missing out on burger night.

The great thing about this recipe is that you could add all sorts of things to make it your own, such as curry powder for a samosa vibe, or chilli powder for some kick. These would be delicious with a dipping sauce as a party dish, or as a high protein option for lunch or dinner.

ENJOY!