This is an ideal veggie burger, and one we love at Kai. We serve our Mung Bean Burgers on Foccacia bread, but they also work great on a good quality Sourdough.

Makes 4 Burgers

Ingredients
– 200g mung beans
– 1 small butternut squash, peeled and diced
– 2 red onion, peeled and finely diced
– 2tsps cumin seeds
– a few gluts of of olive oil
– a few twists of the salt and pepper mills
– handful of polenta
– foccacia bread, Pimento cheese, garlic mayo and red onion to serve

Method
1. Boil the mung beans in water for about 20-30 min or until tender. Drain in a sieve and allow to dry for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, get cracking on the remaining ingredients.
2. Turn the oven on to heat to 180 degrees. Toss the diced butternut squash in the oil and salt and pepper, spread out on a baking tray and roast for about 20 – 25 mints until they have picked up a little colour and are just cooked. Transfer to a plate.
3. In a dry pan, toast the cumin seeds, set aside to cool.
4. In the same pan sauté the onions on a low heat in a little olive oil until glassy and translucent. Add to the plate of roasted squash resting on the side.
5. Tip all of the cooked ingredients into a bowl or food processor. Blitz, taste, and adjust the seasoning to your preference.
6. Divide the mixture into four bean patties, and flatten a little before tossing each burger in polenta.
7. Since everything is already cooked in the burger they will just need a few minutes in a frying pan over a medium heat to crisp up the polenta crust and heat through. These also work well on a BBQs. Alternatively, you could try oven-baking at a high temperature, or placing directly under a hot grill.
8. Serve with the pimento cheese, garlic mayo and thin slices of red onion.

Photos by Annemarie Carroll

Jess Murphy is the owner and head chef at Kai Cafe & Restaurant. She has also just been announced as the resident chef for Meadows and Byrne. Winner of the Best Chef in Connaught at this year’s Irish Restaurant Association Awards, Jess is the only ever female chef to win the regional awards.

The philosophy at Kai Café and Restaurant is very simple, Jess sources fresh, organic produce from local suppliers to create daily menus bursting with flavour, texture and colour. All menus change on a daily basis dependent on what is fresh and in stock from local suppliers.

kaicaferestaurant.com