Preparation

• 1
  1. Wash the split red lentils thoroughly in a sieve under cold running water. Place in a saucepan with cold water, one and a half times the volume of the lentils. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain off any excess water remaining.
• 2
  2. Peel and chop the spring onions. Chop the chilli finely, after removing the seeds, peel and chop the fresh ginger finely and crush the garlic cloves. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a non-stick frying pan and cook the onions, chilli, ginger and garlic over a low heat for 5 minutes until soft. Chop then mix in the coriander, then stir in the ground cumin and turn off the heat.
• 3
  3. Drain and rinse the chickpeas, and place in a food processor with the cooked red lentils. Add the onion mixture and season well with salt and black pepper. Blend quickly, long enough to mix the ingredients but not so long that the texture is too smooth.
• 4
  4. Put the mixture into a bowl. Shape into small burgers using your hands and place on a lightly floured plate. Heat a tablespoon of sunflower oil in a non-stick frying pan, and gently place the burgers in the pan. Cook for 5-7 minutes on each side over a low heat, turning carefully, until golden brown and cooked through.