Vegan buckwheat burger: Making “grechka” trendy (RECIPE)

There’s no consensus on how Asian buckwheat made its way into Russian cuisine. Some say that Byzantine monks used to grow it in Kievan Rus and later passed this tradition to the local Slavic nations. Despite the complicated cultivating techniques, buckwheat has been widely recognised as a very healthy product in Russia ever since ancient times. 

It can be used as the main course, or a side dish for meat or for filling for pies. Also, it can be used in a number of sweet variations. But one needs to be careful: there are different types of buckwheat.

In Europe, you can find “grechka” in the organic departments of supermarkets in two variations: grilled, or green. European grilled buckwheat is something absolutely different from what people cook and eat in Russia. It instantly dissolves in water and turns into a homogeneous substance in 5 minutes. I was surprised with this, having bought it for the first time in the Netherlands. Originally, grechka just became soft, keeping its shape. 

Unable to cook the usual dishes with this grechka, I created something new. This thick paste turned out to be the perfect material to cook vegan burgers. By adding some flavors, such as garlic and coriander, and by adjusting the structure with moist fried carrots and onions, I achieved an impressive result. In fact, I found a way to present this healthy meal to my family. Please, meet “The Vegan Buckwheat Burger”!

Ingredients:

• Grilled buckwheat – 200 g
• Spelt flour – 80 gr
• Carrot – 1 pc
• Onion – 1 pc
• Garlic – 2 cloves
• Coriander powder – ½ t sp
• Garlic powder – ½ t sp
• Cumin powder – ½ t sp
• Salt – 1 tsp
• Black pepper – 1 tsp
• Sunflower oil - 20 ml
• Brown burger buns - 2 ps
• Tomatoes - 1 pc
• Red onion - 1 pc
• Salad leaves - 3 pc
• Salted cucumbers - 1 pc

Sauce: mustard + sweet syrup + sunflower oil - in equal proportions (20 ml)

Cooking:

1. Cook buckwheat following the instructions on the pack. I will describe my recipe. Put grilled buckwheat in a ladle and cover it with 200 ml of hot water. Wait until the buckwheat absorbs all the water. Thus, you’ll get a thick paste.

2. If you have classic grechka, you’ll need to cook it as recommended in the instructions and mash half of it to get a homogeneous mass as you see in the photo.

3. Chop carrots and onions in tiny cubes, and fry until they become soft and golden.

4. Mix the buckwheat mass, fried carrots, onions, spices, fresh crushed garlic and flour to get thick paste.

5. Use a culinary iron ring to form burgers. Tip: cover the board with plastic to prevent the burger from sticking to it.

6. Fry the burgers in oil until they are golden on each side.

7. Warm up the buns in the same pan.

8. Mix mustard, syrup and oil in equal proportion to make the sauce.

9. Top the burger up with your favorites.  

Enjoy your vegan burger!

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