Lebanese Lentil Burgers with Tahini Sauce

A burger that skips the bun entirely, the patties go into crisp lettuce and cabbage leaves with tomato, cucumber and a sharp tahini sauce, which makes it one of the lightest ways to eat 17g of protein on this list. The ras el hanout does the heavy lifting on flavour; nothing here is fried.

Ingredients

• 7 oz dried brown lentils
• 7 oz potato, finely chopped
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• ½ red pepper, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, grated
• 4 garlic cloves, minced, plus 1 for the sauce
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley, plus extra to serve
• 1 tbsp ras el hanout
• 1 tbsp lemon zest plus 5 tbsp lemon juice
• 1¾ oz gram (chickpea) flour
• 3 tbsp tahini
• Salt and black pepper
• 8 large lettuce or savoy cabbage leaves
• 2 tomatoes, sliced
• ½ cucumber, sliced

Method

1. 1Simmer the lentils in a saucepan with 3¼ cups water, uncovered, for about 15 minutes until tender, then drain.
2. 2Meanwhile, cook the potato, onion, red pepper, carrot and 4 minced garlic cloves in a large frying pan with 4 tbsp water over a medium heat for about 15 minutes, until the potato is just tender.
3. 3Add the drained lentils, parsley, ras el hanout, lemon zest and 1 tbsp of the lemon juice to the vegetable pan. Season with salt, and cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring often, until the mixture is dry. Cool for 10 minutes, then stir in the gram flour.
4. 4Heat the oven to 355°F/320°F fan/gas 4 and line a baking tray with baking paper. Shape the lentil mixture into 8 small patties and bake for 40-45 minutes until browned and firm.
5. 5For the tahini sauce, blend the tahini with the remaining 4 tbsp lemon juice, the last garlic clove and 6¾ tbsp water until smooth, then season with salt and black pepper.
6. 6Load each lettuce or cabbage leaf with tomato and cucumber, top with a patty, drizzle generously with the tahini sauce and scatter with extra parsley.

Tips for GLP-1 appetites

• No bun means this sits far lighter than a standard burger, a good pick for the week after a dose increase.
• The tahini sauce loosens or thickens with water; keep it pourable so a little coats everything without needing a lot.