Eggplant Burger

Sunday is a day I will think of cooking something nice for the two of us.  A satisfying SUNDAY. To kill two birds with one stone, I decided to make this for our dinner.  Healthy Eggplant Burger with home sprouted sugar snow peas and homebaked burger buns. Craving to knead is strong and at the same time, the sprouts are ready for harvesting.  

It took me a few hours to make this delicious and at the same time healthy.  Hubby asked why I am making this for dinner, I told him simply because my hands are itchy to knead and my sprouts are ready for harvesting :)  Burger patties made from eggplant !!! For him a meat eater , it doesn't sound exciting for him , for I have a few tins of SPAM  ready for him, in case he doesn't like the vegan style of burger :p  Anyway, this is a to die for burger. The eggplant is so tasty .  I enjoyed two at one go while the hubby had his with slices of luncheon meat.  Hard to convince a meat eater :)  He missed a good healthy burger though :)

I am happy my burger buns turned out so good , shape and texture

the egg plant burger looks like beef burger :)

added cucumber pickles and tomato slices besides the

home sprouted peas shoots

 this added extra nutrients to the burger :)

love to stack up the burger 

Taste awesome... and who say

vegan burger doesnt taste good...

 you dont know what you are missing...this is yummy

good that I have added to my table menu

 the peas shoots taste good, young and tender

and fragrant..nothing beats homesprouted ones

my home sprouted dwarf sugar snow peas shoots

Eggplant Burger

Ingredients 

Makes about 6 burger size patties

2 large japanese eggplant , peeled and diced
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 small onion (or 2 scallions), thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup / 3.5 oz / 100 gr grated sharp Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup / 3.4 oz / 96 gr almond meal (or gluten-free breadcrumbs)

*use vegan cheese to make them vegan

Directions
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large (preferable non-stick) skillet over medium-high heat, add onion and salt and saute’ for 5 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and saute’ for 1 further minute, until fragrant.

 
Finally add eggplant cubes and saute’ - stirring every now and then - until browned and soft, about 10 to 12 minutes.

 
Transfer to a large bowl and puree/mash with an immersion blender (you can also use a food processor or a blender to do this).
Add cheese, parsley, black pepper and stir until well combined.
Add almond meal (or GF breadcrumbs) ¼ cup at a time and mix with your hands until it reaches a firm consistency and will hold up as patties (you might need to use more or less almond meal).

 
Transfer mixture to the refrigerator for 20 minutes to allow the almond meal to suck up some of the moisture.

 
Take the bowl out of the refrigerator and with dampened hands form 6 burger size patties.
Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in the same skillet you used before over medium-high heat.

  
When sizzling, add patties (in batches if necessary) and cook for about 4 minutes on each side until browned.

Homemade Burger Bun

ingredients: 

210g bread flour
60g plain flour
125ml full cream milk
42g caster sugar
half teaspoon of salt
4g instant yeast
30g beaten eggs 

84g water dough
22g unsalted butter

Recipe for the water dough "water roux":

Cook 125g water with 25g bread flour at medium low heat, keep stirring until it become thicken and no lumps left. If you've a candy thermometer, measure it until the temperature turn to 65C then turn of the heat. Cook it until quite liquid consistency like the baby porridge. Transfer to a clean bowl to cool down. Use only amount required. The rest can be kept in the fridge for 2 to 3 days only. If there is grey mold, throw away.

Method of making the bun :

Place all the ingredients for kneading except the butter until everything come together and become a smooth dough then add in the butter a little at a time.

Let the dough slowly absorb the butter. Gently knead till dough is smooth and not sticking to hand.

Let it proof for 50 to 60 minutes in a clean bowl cover with cling warp.

Divide the dough into even size of 6 portions or any size you like it to be then let it rest for 10 minutes.

Shape the dough into smooth round shape. Prepare some water on a a clean plate and place a kitchen towel on the top. Damp the surface of each dough and run the damp surface around a bowl of sesame seeds. Place the dough on a baking tray and let the it proof for 40 minutes. Bake at 180C for 15 minutes.

Enjoy !

Sambal Prawns With Stink Beans

Stink beans or Petai as Malaysians called them petai.  I started eating stink beans when I was 7 yrs old, and that is the time when I had my first taste of chilli.  Thus anything that is cooked with chilli has become my favourite.  My grandma was the first to introduce me and my brothers to spicy food.  And needless to say stink bean is the favourite of the family.  Whenever there are petai or stink beans sold in the market, be assured that we will be served this dish for our dinner.  That was the only time when the whole family sits together to have our meal.  

My grandma cooked the stink beans in simple style.  Just with dried shrimps and the pounded rempah that consists of serai, toasted belacan, dried chillies, fresh turmeric and shallots.  Simple and yet delicious.  With no assam paste, this taste good too.  Today , I will share my grandma simple sambal prawns with stink beans that can be served as side dish to nasi lemak and fried vermicelli. This is really good and I am sure you will want to cook this simple sambal prawns with stink beans for your family.

I bought 6 papan for RM9 from Tesco

 no worms , so worth it though it could

have been cheaper if I had bought from the orang Asli :p

this is how I cut open the skin of the stink bean,

cut a slit right across vertically and push out the bean

 red onions added for extra oomph

hubby loves red onions in his sambal petai

with just this one dish, I can have second helping

of rice :p

Sambal Prawns With Stink Beans

ingredients:

6 papan / stalks of stink beans - cut open and cut the beans into halves - wash and soak in cold water for extra crunch
1 large red onion - sliced
10 pieces of med sized sea prawns - remove shell, leave the tail intact
1/4 cup of dried shrimp - soak and pound coarsely
4 tbsp of rice bran oil or any vegetable oil
a pinch of salt and sugar for taste
1/4 cup of water

rempah paste for pounding

a handful of dried chilli ( if you want more heat, add more) - soak, and remove seeds
10 shallots
3/4 inch sq toasted belacan
1/2 thumb fresh turmeric
1 stalk of serai - sliced

Method:

Heat up oil in wok,  add in rempah and stir fry till fragrant, add in the pounded dried shrimps and continue to stir fry for another 15 mins till fragrant.  Add in 1/4 cup of water and continue to cook  till the rempah has thicken, add in the, sea prawns,  petai / stink beans and sliced onions, salt and sugar to taste. Continue to stir fry till the  prawns and stink beans are cooked through .  Dish up and serve.

Note: you can keep some in air tight container and serve as side dish for your fried noodles. Can keep a week in the fridge.

 Enjoy !