Chana Masala Burgers (17g Protein)

The flavours of a bowl of chana masala pressed into a burger. Baked potato holds the patties together while the chickpeas bring the protein, and the spice level is entirely in your hands — everything else about it is mild, warm and stomach-friendly.

Ingredients

• 2 medium baking potatoes (about 450g)
• 1 onion, quartered
• 1½ x 400g tins chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 3 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 tbsp finely chopped jalapeño or green chilli (optional)
• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
• 2 tsp chana masala or garam masala
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• ½ tsp salt
• 4 small wholegrain buns
• Lettuce, sliced tomato, red onion and pickles, to serve

Method

1. 1Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Prick the potatoes and bake on a paper-lined tray for 40-50 minutes until tender. Cool until you can handle them, then peel and roughly mash. Leave the oven on.
2. 2Blitz the onion in a food processor until smooth. Add the chickpeas and pulse a few times so most break up but some stay whole.
3. 3Combine the mashed potato and chickpea mixture in a large bowl with the tomato purée, chilli (if using), ground flaxseed, chana masala, cumin seeds, ginger, garlic, turmeric and salt. Mix thoroughly and shape into 4 patties on the lined tray.
4. 4Bake the patties for 20-25 minutes until the undersides are firm and crisp, cool for 10 minutes, then flip and bake 20-25 minutes more until lightly browned. The rest between bakes is what stops them crumbling.
5. 5Serve in the buns with lettuce, tomato, red onion and pickles.

Tips for GLP-1 appetites

• Leave the chilli out entirely if you’re in a rough patch — the ginger and garam masala carry the flavour on their own.
• These are baked, not fried, so they reheat without going greasy — good cold the next day with a spoon of yoghurt.