The only kind of recipes that are my favourite are the ones allowing for tons of room for customisation. I love how creative you can be with these lentil cakes. They’re bursting with savoury flavours, hearty texture, and oodles of plant based protein. They’re also gluten-free and accidentally vegan.
They work for canapés, burger patties, vegan meatballs or as mains, depending on how large you make them.
What you will need – (for 12 cakes)
- Whole/Split Masoor dal (red lentils) – 1 cup, washed
- Carrots – 2 cups, finely chopped
- Rolled oats – 1 cup, divided
- Onion – 1 medium, chopped
- Garlic cloves – 3-4
- Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon
- Smoked paprika – 1 teaspoon (Can also use cayenne pepper)
- Lemon juice – 1 tablespoon
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Spinach – 1-1.5 cups, chopped
- Olive Oil for brushing
- Nuts and seeds of choice – 1/3 cup
(optional but highly recommended)
I used a mix of sunflower, hemp, pumpkin and flax
Method –
- Rinse lentils thoroughly, till the water runs clear. Add to a pot with 2 cups of water and boil till tender. Do not overcook.
- In the meantime, steam carrots for about 15-20 mins. They should be tender but not mushy.
- To a food processor, add lentils, steamed carrots, onion, garlic, lemon juice, spices and half cup oats. Reserve the other half for later.
- Process in short bursts of a few seconds. Scrape down the sides of your bowl and repeat till all ingredients are well incorporated. The mixture should be chunky not doughy.
- Transfer to a mixing bowl. Add remaining oats, spinach, nuts and seeds. Mix well.
- To make patties, use a large spoon or a 1/4th cup measure to scoop out the mix in the palms of your hand. I made them 1 inch thick and about 3 inches wide. But you can roll them bigger or smaller or even make balls.
(Use slightly wet hands to prevent the mixture from sticking.) - Lightly brush with oil on both sides and bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for 25-30 minutes. If your patties are smaller or rolling balls, reduce baking time accordingly.
Serving notes :
These can be served as is with a dip or used as burger patties.
To make the dip, combine 2 minced garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons of tahina, finely chopped coriander leaves, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, salt and pepper with just enough water to achieve a creamy consistency.
If you make this recipe, you know the drill: Let me know!
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