From the Kitchen

Crispy Soy & Veggie Burger

Two patties of potato, soy chunks and a pile of veggies, air fried first, then crisped on a tawa, one under a slice of melting cheddar.

50Minutes
4Burgers
8Patties
Cook it twice — the air fryer sets the patty so it holds together; the tawa makes it crispy. Don't worry if they come out of the air fryer a bit pale or soft. That's expected, and the tawa fixes it right before the burger goes together.

Ingredients

The patty

  • Potato, boiled & peeled 300 g
  • Soy chunks, soaked, squeezed & drained 100 g
  • Frozen mixed vegetables, thawed & drained 200 g
  • Carrot 100 g
  • Corn, roasted 125 g
  • Nutritional yeast 3 tbsp
  • Flax meal 2 tbsp
  • Hemp seeds 2 tbsp
  • Panko breadcrumbs 1/2 cup
  • Black salt (kala namak) 1 tsp
  • Salt 1 tsp
  • Garlic powder 1 tbsp
  • Oil, for brushing as needed

Dressing

  • Mayo 2 tbsp
  • Ketchup 2 tbsp
  • or Tandoori mayo, store-bought optional

To assemble

  • Burger buns (TJ's 4-pack) 4
  • American cheddar slices 4
  • Tomato, sliced 1
  • Lettuce leaves 4

Method

Part 1 — Make & air fry the patties
  1. Blend the soy chunks, mixed veg, carrot and corn together until finely minced. Squeeze the soy chunks and drain the veg well first. Extra water makes the dough sticky and the patties soft.
  2. Mash the potato in a big bowl. Add the blended soy and veggie mix, nutritional yeast, flax meal, hemp seeds, panko, both salts and the garlic powder. Mix it with your hands until it comes together as a dough that holds its shape when you squeeze it.
  3. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions and press each into a patty a little wider than your buns. It's a double-patty burger, so that's two per bun.
  4. Brush the patties with oil on both sides and air fry at 445°F for 18 minutes, flipping halfway. They won't be very crispy or fully browned yet. They get crisped on the tawa later.
Meal prep — stop here. Let the air-fried patties cool completely, then freeze them. Whenever you want burgers, take out as many as you need and pick up at Part 2.
Part 2 — Dressing, tawa & assembly
  1. Stir the mayo and ketchup together. If you've got store-bought tandoori mayo, use that instead. It's optional but very good here.
  2. Toast the buns cut side down on a hot tawa until golden.
  3. Put the air-fried patties on the tawa and crisp the first side. Flip, lay a cheddar slice on top of 4 of them, and let the cheese melt while the second side crisps up.
  4. Spread the dressing on the toasted sides of both the top and bottom buns. On the bottom bun, layer lettuce, tomato, a plain patty, then a cheesy patty on top. Close it with the top bun and eat right away.