Potato Bonda Burger

This is a veggie burger for carb lovers! It takes two Indian potato snacks, aloo tikki and bonda, and combines them into one satisfying potato patty, studded with onion, urad dal, mustard seeds, and cashews. I love to serve them on buttery Hawaiian-style rolls with cilantro chutney and pickled red onions, but lettuce, tomato and ketchup are great too.

Serves 4-5 as a light meal. Makes 6 burgers or 10 sliders.

Ingredients

Burgers:

2 large russet potatoes(1½ pounds), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

2 tbsp neutral oil, plus more for frying

1¼ tsp brown mustard seeds

2 tsp white urad dal or red lentils

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

3 tsp minced ginger

2-3 tsp minced jalapeño

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

¼ tsp cayenne

1 tsp salt

½ cup panko or breadcrumbs

1 large egg (or egg substitute), lightly beaten

⅓ cup broken cashew pieces

To Serve:

2 tbsp salted butter, at room temperature

6 brioche burger buns, or 10 slider buns, such as King’s Hawaiian Savory Butter Rolls

2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced

Pickled Red Onion or sliced red onion

Lettuce leaves

Condiments of your choice

Preparation

Step 1
Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender, 8 to 9 minutes. Drain and transfer to a medium bowl and mash them coarsely with a potato masher, leaving some small chunks for texture. Set aside.

Step 2
Assemble the rest of your ingredients by the stove. In a 12-inch skillet, heat 2 T. of the oil over medium-high. When the oil shimmers, add the mustard seeds and let them pop for a few seconds, occasionally swirling the pan. Add the urad dal and fry for a few seconds until it barely begins to color. Next, add the onion and stir frequently until it turns light brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the ginger, green chili, turmeric, cayenne, and salt and sauté until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour the entire mixture into the potatoes and mix together thoroughly.

Step 3
Add the panko, egg, and cashews to the potatoes and stir with a fork until well combined. When cool enough, form it into ½-inch-thick, 3-inch-wide patties and set them on a large plate. (These can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day.)

Step 4
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line plate with paper towels. Add ¼ inch of oil to the 12-inch skillet used before, and set over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, slip a batch of the patties in without crowding them and fry until well browned, about 4 minutes. Flip them carefully and fry the other side until browned, about 4 minutes more. Transfer to the prepared plate and repeat with the remaining patties.

Step 5
To assemble: Butter the cut sides of the buns. Fit them on a large baking sheet, buttered-side down, and bake until lightly browned, about 7 minutes.

Step 6
Place each bonda burger on a bun and serve with a platter of sliced tomato, red onion, lettuce leaves, and condiments for topping.