TOTAL TIME: 75 mins (plus a 1 hour refrigeration time)      

MAKES: 8-10 patties

”Black-eyed peas were common fare growing up,  from meat dishes to casseroles to simple bean gravy dishes . So I decided to switch up this lil guy and try out a new way of incorporating it into our diet. 'A Patty' that’s easy to go alongside any mains, or as a quick nutritious snack, or even turn it into a burger- option galore”

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups of cooked black-eyed peas**
• ½ cup of grated zucchini*
• ½ cup of grated carrot*
• ½ cup grated potato*
• ½ cup minced onion
• 2 cloves of minced garlic
• 1 green chili finely chopped (optional)
• 6-7 sprigs of cilantro finely chopped  
• 1 slice of bread (soak and squeeze) broken into small pieces
• 1 tbsp. arrowroot powder (1 beaten egg for non-vegans)
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. of salt (or to taste)
• 1-2 cups bread crumbs or fine cornmeal
• Pepper to taste
• ¼ tsp. garlic powder
• ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
• ¼ tsp. turmeric powder
• ½ tsp. cumin powder
• Vegetable oil to shallow fry

** You can substitute with any favorite bean; black beans are the usual favorite.

* You can substitute with grated beets, shredded cabbage or Brussel sprouts, bell peppers etc. You can also add in some greens, especially spinach.

METHOD

• Soak the dried beans overnight (with a few fennel seeds, optional) or at least for 8 hours (this takes care of flatulence that beans are notoriously known for) and then cook them with twice the amount of water, for about 40-45 mins.
• While the beans are cooking, grate and chop all of your veggies to save on time. Make sure you squeeze out any excess liquid from the veggies using a kitchen towel or muslin cloth so that the batter holds up well and the patties don’t fall apart.
• Once the beans are cooked, strain them and mash them up. Leave some as whole beans to add some texture.
• Add in all of the other ingredients and mix together.
• Scoop handfuls of the mixture and shape into a patti.
• Gently coat the patti with either bread crumbs or cornmeal and place on a plate.
• Once all are done, cover with cling wrap or a kitchen towel and refrigerate for at least an hour, before frying or baking them. This step also ensures the patties hold up and don’t fall apart.
• On medium heat, shallow fry the patties about 6-8 mins on each side.
• If baking, spray the tray generously with cooking oil and bake at 350 degrees F, for about 10 mins on each side. Cover and bake so that the patties don’t get too dry.
• Serve warm with some yogurt and cucumber raita and ketchup or turn it into an awesome vegetarian burger with your favorite add ons.

 HOLISTIC HIGHLIGHTS

Black-Eyed Peas, sometimes also called cow peas are versatile and can be added to stews, soups, salads and burgers. They are loaded with protein, fiber, vitamin A, folate, magnesium, iron, copper, zinc and selenium. As with all legumes, black-eyed peas are especially good sources of soluble fiber, which helps prevent type 2 diabetes by keeping blood sugar balanced after you eat. Soluble fiber also binds to cholesterol and carries it out of the body.

At all ages, everyone needs folate to produce enough red blood cells to avoid developing anemia. Folate is especially crucial for pregnant women to support the fetus’s developing nervous system needs.

When paired with carrots, broccoli, spinach or a sweet potato, black-eyed peas provide for a vitamin A-rich meal. Your first defense against bacteria and pathogens is your skin and the mucous membranes that line your respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts. Vitamin A must be available to produce mucus and to synthesize the proteins that maintain the integrity of these barriers. White blood cells also depend on vitamin A to function properly.