Veggie Burger

I made this Veggie burger  and home made french fries for lunch today and shared it with Reina (our domestic helper).
Had a lot of me time today. Did my 1.5 hour of yoga in the morning, went for a 6 km walk, then made home made mayonnaise as well to go with the veggie burger.
My Magical Kithcen would fail to do justice if I don't mention Reina here. For all the mess we do in the Kithchen, if it still sparkles clean the credit goes to the one and olny Reina Maria, our domestic helper since 3 years.

Living in Central America has its own benefits. We have maids in most of the houses just like in India.
Reina means queen in Spanish. Reina is a devout Catholic, a mother of seven children. She lost one of her daughter in  a freaky accident in an encounter targeted at someone else. (When you live in Guatemala, you tend to get used to hearing these incidents just like any daily affair, like now when someone says so and so got murdered, I am not surprised anymore).

We are so grateful to her for all that she does for us. Always smiling and warm, she goes about her work not as a job but as an offering.

She speaks country Spanish, illiterate  and comes to our house dressed so dandy. Changes to work clothes immediately and  while she is done with her work in the evening, puts on her pretty attire again, does her makeup and screams 'Adiiioooooos, Hasta Manana' (Good Bye! See you tomorrow).
She works 8 to 4.30 pm from Monday to Saturday.

She is my daughter's pet and plays and chats with her. It is fun to see my otherwise quiet daughter rattling away with her.  She calls my daughter 'nena' meaning little child.

When someone falls sick in the family she brings in a medicinal herb called 'manzanilla' from the mountains where she lives, boils them in hot water and prepares  a magic concoction. She has learnt to make rotis and she has seen me cook with indian spices.  Sometimes when I get late from work, I tell her to make dinner. She would prepare spaghetti with mustard and turmeric and and all the other indian spices and lovingly serves us. We seem to like the taste for it is is only pure love and nothing else. Many have told me that she is trying to impress me. But is easy to find when people are so truthful.

She has been a great support to us when we live in a country so far way without any family support. She is surprised that we don't eat meat and I told her once casually that we don't eat it because 'It is pecado', a sin to kill animals. Ever since she doesn't bring meat to our house for her lunch even when I have forced her to eat as I know that it is her eating habit and I can no way control that.

She loves to knit and finds out much ahead about my travel plans to India and always makes a small table quilt or tortilla towels for my mom and mom in law.  She has gifted me many aprons  all stitched by her. She surprises my kids with small gifts during their birthdays. Last year we had a party for my daughter's birthday. She sent us some 50 'dobladas' a dish made of corn and cheese. I wonder she is so poor with seven kids and she does these things for me. It touches me so immensely.

In this world of mutual benefits, people like her seem to exist too.

We as a family are only grateful to her, for we know without her our house will never be a 'Home'.

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups of assorted vegetables (beans, corn, cabbage, carrot) cut into thin shreds
• 2 boiled potatoes - cubed
• 1 tsp - cumin
• salt
• pepper - 1 tsp
• cilantro - to garnish
• lemon juice - 1 tbsp
• bread crumbs - 2 cups
• Oil - 1/2 a cup
• Garam Masala - 1 tsp
• Lettuce
• Burger Buns
• Tomato ketchup, honey mustard, mayonnaise etc for the spread.
• Cheese slices

To prepare the burger:

1. Heat 2 tsp of oil in a pan. Add the cumin seeds.
2. Add the uncooked vegetables and cook on medium heat till done.
3. Add the boiled potatoes and green peas and cook further.
4. Add garam masala, salt and pepper.
5. Switch off and squeeze the lemon juice and garnish with cilantro sprigs.
6. Add a cup of bread crumbs and mix well.
7. Let it cool completely. Make small palm sized patties/burgers with your hand.
8. Heat a grill pan and cook the burgers with little oil flipping on both sides.
9. If you need a crunchy burger coat the burger with left over bread crumbs after step no. 7 and then proceed to step no. 8

Assembling the burger:

• Cut out the burger buns and spread home made mayonnaise on both sides.
• Place tomato ketchup, prepared burger,lettuce leaves, cheese one on top of the other.
• Cover with the burger bun.

Serve Veggie burgers with potato chips or home made french fries and a drink of your choice.

Enjoy!!!!

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