Coconut Curry Black Bean Burgers

Ingredients

BURGER
1 (16 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained well
1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion
1 garlic clove or 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Thai sweet chili sauce
1 teaspoon yellow curry paste (red works too!)
2-3 tablespoons coconut milk (depending on consistency)
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 dash cayenne
1 whole egg
2 cups Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
14 ounces tofu ground meat substitute
4 whole wheat hamburger buns, of your choice (lightly toasted in the oven) or buns, of your choice
SAUCE
1 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon Thai sweet chili sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 dash soy sauce (optional)
1 tablespoon canola oil
TOPPINGS
1/4 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup shredded cucumber
1 tablespoon chopped green onion
1 bunch fresh mint
1 bunch fresh cilantro
Directions
1BURGER PREP:.
2In a food processor, blend black beans and all ingredients (except the bread crumbs and tofu meat)until a smooth consistency. Spatula ingredients into a large bowl and gradually incorporate breadcrumbs into mixture. Add tofu meat and stir to combine.
3Add more bread crumbs if mixture is too loose. If mixture is too thick, add coconut milk.
4Form mixture into 6 patties and place on wax paper. Put in freezer for up to 30 minutes for patties to set.
5Once set, heat a grill pan or frying pan with a small amount of non-stick spray. Grill or fry the burgers about 4-5 mintues on each side or until brown. Be careful when flipping as the burgers can be fragile.
6Set each burger aside in a baking pan and place in a warm (175-200 degrees) oven until ready to use (not more than a half hour).
7SAUCE PREP:.
8Put peanut butter and all of the ingredients into a sauce pan on low-medium heat and let melt, stirring often. Let lightly simmer for about 1 minute then reduce heat to very low and heat for an additional 3 mintues, stirring occasionally.
9TOPPINGS PREP:.
10Slice and dice herbs (cilantro and mint) and veggies.
11To compose the burgers:.
12Place a black bean patty on each of the bottom buns. Top with a generous drizzle of the peanut sauce, a spoonful of the carrot/cucumber mixture, a couple leaves of mint and cilantro, and a sprinkle of green onion.
13Top with the bun top & have some napkins handy.