Cheesy Spinach and Barley Burgers

Healthy, delicious and easy to make cheesy spinach and barley burgers. Crispy, Crunchy, Nutty, slightly chewy, perfectly seasoned and flavored with garlic and dried herbs.

 

Barley is rich in fiber and is good for your intestine. Packed with whole grain and greens these burgers are healthy and they taste far better than the regular potato burgers. I shallow fried these burgers , however you can bake these burgers in the oven at 375 F for 25 minutes in a lined baking sheet.

 

 

 

 

Ingredients 

• 1/3 Cup Barley
• 1/2 Cup Mozzarella Cheese
• 1/2 Cup tightly packed spinach ( thaw if frozen )
• 1/2 Cup Bread Crumbs
• 1 Teaspoon finely chopped Ginger
• 3 Garlic cloves Crushed and then chopped finely
• 1/4 Teaspoon Green Chilli minced
• 1/2 Teaspoon Red chilli flakes
• 1/4 Teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 Teaspoon mixed dry herbs ( oregano, rosemary and thyme )
• 1 Tablespoon finely chopped cilantro leaves
• 1 Egg or 2 Tablespoons of corn flour to bind
• 2 Tablespoon vegetable oil to shallow fry
• Salt to taste 

Directions 

1. Cook Barley : In a large pot, add barley. Season with a pinch of salt. Add 2 and 1/2 Cups of water and cook on medium flame for 35 to 40 minutes until the barley is soft and cooked through. Alternatively, you can pressure cook barley with 1 and 1/4 cups of water and salt on medium flame for 7to 8 whistles. Drain remaining water completely

2. Blanch Spinach : In a small sauce pan, bring 3/4 Cup of water to boil. Add spinach and cook for a minute. Drain water and squeeze excess water out. Chop blanched spinach roughly and set aside
3. In a large mixing bowl, add cooked barley, cheese, bread crumbs, ginger, garlic, green chilli, red chilli flakes, dried herbs,  ground black pepper, cilantro leaves and using a spoon gently mix to combine everything

4. Add spinach and mix again. Season with salt and check if the seasoning is perfect

5. Add egg or corn flour and mix everything together gently

6. Pinch 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons of this mixture and form a burger and set aside. I made 9 burgers out of the mixture

7. In a tawa / pan / skillet heat oil for shallow frying

8. When the oil is hot, reduce the heat to medium flame and then place 3 to 4 burgers in the hot oil and fry on both sides until they are crispy and golden.
While they are frying, you can press them gently using a spatula

9. Once golden, remove from oil and drain on paper towel

10. Serve hot with ketchup or your favourite dip