As my teeth sank into this burger, angels began to sing and the heavens opened! If you love Indian spices and you love burgers, this is a match made in heaven just for you. These are baked – not fried, so they’re much lower in calories, around 150 each. This recipe makes 6 veggie burgers packed full of exotic Indian spices, topped with creamy cucumber raita sauce. Serve with carrots sliced thin, tossed in curry powder and roasted to perfection.

Veggie Burger Ingredients:

1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
1 medium sweet potato
1/2 cup unsweetened soy yogurt (or plain unsweetened dairy yogurt, like Greek yogurt)
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1/2 cup finely crumbled saltines (about 15 crackers)
1 cup quick cooking oats
2 tbsp canola oil
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp vital wheat gluten (for binding, optional)
1 tbsp Tandoori seasoning
1 tbsp garam masala spice
1 tsp cumin powder
1 pinch ground cardamom

Make:
Preheat oven to 370°. Peel sweet potato and grate over a large mixing bowl. Drain water from chickpeas and place into a smaller bowl and use a fork to completely mash all the beans. Add mashed chickpeas to grated sweet potato. Crumble saltines over bowl followed by the quick cooking oats. Mix to incorporate. Add yogurt, oil, green onion, water, wheat gluten if using it, garam masala, tandoori seasoning, cumin and cardamom. Add more water if it’s still very dry and will not stick together when you try to shape it into burger patties. Careful not to add too much water, or it will fall apart. Once desired consistency is achieved, shape into patties and slightly flatten in the palms of your hands. On a cookie sheet sprayed generously with nonstick spray, arrange the patties and bake at 370° for 30 minutes. They will be nice and brown on top when done. Let sit 10 minutes to cool and firm up before placing on a bun. Top with cucumber raita sauce.

If you are going to make the raita sauce, make this while the burgers are baking.

Raita Ingredients:
3-4 slices cucumber, chopped finely
1/2 cup unsweetened soy yogurt or dairy yogurt
2 tbsp nutritional yeast (if using non-dairy yogurt)
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp garam masala spice
1/8 tsp ground cayenne
Pinch of cardamom

Make:
Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl and chill until ready to spread on top of burgers. Excellent on the curried carrot fries as well.