NEVER ENOUGH GARLIC

Yes, we're *slightly* obsessed with burgers. No, there's no cure. As such, we have accepted our fate, and this burger will totally explain why.

This is by far the crispiest vegan burger we've ever tried, and combined with the green chilli salsa, this is the perfect burger for fellow burger addicts or anyone in the mood for a real, junkfood-style burger. If you want to balance out the delicious but not-so-healthy patty, you can use our HHBB (Heavenly Healthy Burger Buns) to offset the guilt.

Ingredients:

Patties:

• 400 g (14 oz) firm tofu
• 45 g (1.5 oz) crushed bran flakes
• 40 g (1.4 oz) breadcrumbs 
• 1 tbsp. nutritional yeast flakes

Marinade:

• 1.5 tbsp. soy sauce
  
• 1 tbsp. tamari sauce
• 1 tsp. vegetable fond
• 0.5 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. garlic powder (or 1 clove of crushed garlic) 
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 0.5 tsp. pepper
• 0.5 tsp. chilli powder (adjust according to chilli preferences)
• 150 g (5 fl. oz) vegan mayo 
  

Patty Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 200°C (390°F).
   
2. Remove the excess liquid from your tofu by pressing down on it with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. If necessary, slice your tofu into patty-sized pieces (ours was already in patty-appropriate blocks). 
   
3. Mix all the ingredients for the marinade together into a paste and brush onto the tofu patties. To help the tofu absorb the marinade, gently poke holes across the surface of each patty with a fork.
   
4. Give the patties a minute to absorb the marinade before flipping them over to marinate the other side. Make sure to cover the sides of the tofu as well in addition to the back and front. Keep flipping and brushing at least 2-3 more times (or until there is no marinade left).
   
5. Mix the crushed bran flakes, nutritional yeast, and bread crumbs in a dish big enough to dip the patties in.
   
6. Dip each patty into the vegan mayo, and then coat them in the bran flake mix. Don't coat on the flakes too thickly, though, or the oils from the mayo will have a hard time getting through, and your patties won't get super crispy.
   
7. Place the coated patties in an oven-safe dish and bake for 30-40 minutes or until crispy and golden.

Tip: If you've accidentally coated your patties too thickly in the flake mix, spray a little vegetable oil on them. This will allow them to still get properly crispy.

 

Salsa Time!

While the patties are in the oven, you can make the salsa.

Salsa ingredients: 

• 200 g (7 oz) cherry tomatoes
• 1 small red onion
• 2 green capsicums
• 1 (big) clove of garlic
• 4 pickled green chillies (adjust according to chilli prefernces)
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 1.5 tbsp. tomato puree
• 0.5 tsp. paprika
• 0.5 tsp. cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste

Toss all the salsa ingredients into a food processor and pulse until finely chopped (but not mush). Alternately, finely chop the tomatoes, onion, capsicum, garlic, and chillies by hand, and mix in the spices and lemon juice.

The assembly:

• 1-2 lettuce leaves
• Condiments of your liking (we used ketchup and more vegan mayo)

Put it all together, and you're done! 

Pro tip: To keep the salsa juices from ruining the crispiness of the patties post-assembly, use your lettuce as a barrier between the two.