An Even More Perfect Burger?

We needed a quick meal tonight, and since it felt nice and summery I thought burgers and fries out on the back porch sounded like a good idea. But there were a few snags. First, I only had half a block of tempeh. And no bread crumbs. And no soy sauce. So I made a few substitutions and created a similar but different tempeh burger. One that may even be better than the original in that it has a more meaty texture. Try it and see what you think.

INGREDIENTS

Makes 6 burgers

- 1/2 pkg tempeh, grated (boil for 10 mins first, then cool, if you don't like tempeh's taste)

- 2 vegan sausages, grated (or pulsed in a blender)

- 1/2 cup vital wheat gluten

- 1 tsp each garlic and onion powder

- 1 tsp coriander

- other spices of your choice (oregano, sage, parsley, fennel, etc.)

- salt and pepper

- 2 tbsp HP/A1/or BBQ sauce
- 1 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp vegetarian stir fry sauce

- 2-4 tbsp water

METHOD

1. Mix together tempeh, sausage, wheat gluten, and spices in a bowl. Add in sauces and enough water to make a firm dough. Squish dough between your fingers for a min or so to thoroughly mix. Divide in 6 portions and shape in patties (I find thin patties work best, but you could make 4 thicker ones if you want).

2. Heat a think layer of oil in a frying pan over med-lo heat. Cook burgers for about 5 mins per side, until firm to the touch.