Sweet Potato Burger with Griddled Pineapple and Chilli Salsa

Ingredients

For the burgers

• 600g sweet potatoes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• 1 tsp ras-el-hanout
• 1 tsp rose harissa
• 100g breadcrumbs
• 50g almonds coarsely chopped
• 100g pumpkin seeds crushed
• 5 pineapple rings
• Gram flour to coat
• vegetable oil for shallow frying

For the simple Moroccan side salad

• 250g canned chickpeas drained and rinsed
• 1 red onion finely sliced
• 2 tomatoes chopped
• 100g ready to eat apricots finely sliced
• 100g watercress
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the relish

• 3 birdseye chillies finely chopped
• 2 spring onions finely chopped
• ½ lemon juiced
• 1 tbsp tomato purée

To serve

• 4-6 vegan buns

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220ºC/gas mark 7. Cut the sweet potatoes in half and bake in their skins on an oil coated baking tray for 30 minutes. While the potatoes are cooking you can start on the burgers. When they are cooked scoop out the flesh and set aside.
2. Fry the onions in a little olive oil until soft then add the garlic and ras-el-hanout. Continue to fry for another 30 seconds.
3. Chop one of the pineapple rings into small cubes and put in a big bowl with the cooked sweet potato flesh, fried onions, rose harissa, breadcrumbs, almonds and pumpkin seeds. Season to taste.
4. Form the mixture into burgers. You can make one normal burger or two thin ones per bun. Coat them in the gram flour and shallow fry until golden on each side.
5. While the burgers are frying make the relish by mixing all the ingredients together. At this point also start to griddle the pineapple rings on each side.
6. To make the salad: Place the chickpeas, onion, tomatoes, apricots and watercress into a serving bowl. Mix together the oil and cumin and pour over the salad. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Assemble the burgers by placing one burger in each bun, followed by the griddled pineapple then the relish. Add the second burger on top if using. Serve