Split Pea Burgers Recipe...

I found a packet of yellow split peas in the back of the cupboard which had been hanging around for a while so I had a think about how I could use them up and this is what I came up with...it seems like a lot of ingredients and a lot of steps, but really it's just bunging things into a pan!  I used to make burgers like this all the time when I lived in Spain and had no access to pre-made vegan food, you can sneak all sorts of healthy things into them (I don't usually eat carrots, or oats but they're both in here!) so you  know your burger is full to bursting with nutrients!  I tried to go a bit Moroccan with the spicing of these burgers, but you can change that and add which ever spices or extras you like!

250g dried split peas
2 small carrots grated
2 tbsp of dried tomatoes
1 tbsp of dried courgette.
1 and 1/2 onions
3 cloves of garlic
1 seeded dried chili
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/3 tsp chili powder
2 oxo cubes
pepper
salt
2 squirts of tomato puree
2 squirts of tomato ketchup
3 tbsps flour
3 tbsps oats

You need to prepare the dried split peas according to the instructions on the packet (mine said to soak overnight in water, then boil for 30 mins) .

While the peas are boiling prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Put the dried tomatoes and courgettes into some water to rehydrate.  I only used dried veggies because there are some in my cupboard from last summer when I dehydrated a lot!  If you don't have any then leave out this step and maybe put in some fresh veggies instead. 
Heat some oil in a big pan then chop and fry the onions and garlic, after a few minutes add the grated carrot.

Use a pestle and mortar to crush the dried chili, cumin and coriander seeds with some salt and the rest of the spices, then add that to the big pan.

Drain the cooked split peas after 30 mins and add to the big pan, over a low heat, with the rest of the ingredients.

Save a little (about 50mls) of the split pea cooking water and use it to make the stock cubes, then add that liquid to the big pan.

Add the drained dried tomato and courgette, 2 squirts of tomato puree and tomato ketchup, salt and pepper to taste and give it a big stir.

Now's the time to add enough flour to turn the sticky goo in the pan into a dough you can shape into burgers with your hands...I added 3 tablespoons each of flour and oats, little by little, depending on the goo-ocity of your mixture you might need more or less.
Let the mixture cool a little then use a hand held food processor (or masher or food processor) to mash the peas, leaving a some whole to make a nice texture.

Put some flour on your hands, grab a handful of mixture and shape into a burger.  I made 9 burgers this time, but they're too big really (in the photo is one burger, that I cut in half so it cooked quicker!), you could get much more from this recipe.  I put them on baking sheets and into the freezer to freeze, then packed them into boxes (this stops them from sticking together too much).

To cook, defrost a little, then fry until golden on the outside.  I made a flat bread to go with mine, using this method only this time I added a little oil to the mixture, which made a much better texture.

Phew, that seemed long didn't it!