Vegetarian Square Burger #BBSquareOff
Throughout food history sandwiches have appeared in a variety of forms and has become a popular meal choice for people all over the world. I personally love a sandwich as it is the perfect on the go meal and is a great way to multitask without actually stopping for a meal.
Why are sandwiches so popular ?
- easy to make
- easy to transport
- quick to eat
- not a messy meal option
- can be made with literally anything
- easy to package and carry
- can be made with leftovers
History of Sandwiches
It is believed according to food historians that the Earl of Sandwich, John Montagu was the person to create the concept of a sandwich in 1762, without actually realising it.The Earl was very fond of gambling and during a 24 hour game did not want to be disturbed and instructed the kitchen to make him something to eat. Following his instructions slices of meat were placed between two slices of toasted bread and brought to the Earl. His meal required no utensils and could be eaten with one hand leaving the other hand free to continue with his card game.Little did the Earl of Sandwich realise just how popular his request would become and it would become a staple meal of people all over the world. In 1980 , the concept of pre made sandwiches was introduced by Marks and Spencer’s in the United Kingdom.In 2017, the sandwich industry made and sold £8 billion in sandwiches in the UK alone. Sandwiches became so popular that they started appearing on High Tea menus in Britain with the most popular being a Cucumber sandwich.
In every single country around the world a sandwich can be found just made with different includes but all made with the concept of using a local bread with a filling. From flatbread, rotis, croissants all these have changed the face of what a sandwich originally looked like.
So when the team at Bakers Squares asked me to be apart of their challenge #BBSquareOff, the foodie in me naturally screamed yes as I love sandwiches. For over 18 months I have become more health conscious as it was one of my goals for 2018 in self care and becoming carb conscious was one of the things I focused on and this meant cutting down on bread. But all this changed with the introduction of the BB Squares as there is not so much” bread” as the slice is more crusty.BB Squares are designed to fit perfectly into lunchboxes, are high in fibre and can hold an array of tantalizing fillings or toppings. Now this was perfect for me and my eating change.
#BBSquareOff Challenge
As Bakers is a local Durban/Kwazulu Natal brand, they have teamed up with local foodies to create a sandwich from a box of mystery ingredients with an Heritage Theme. I do love a foodie challenge and was excited to see what was in my box when it arrived. The following ingredients were in my box :
- 2 potatoes
- 3 tomatoes
- 2 red chillies
- a bag of mixed masala
- a pack of BB Squares
We had to use the ingredients  provided in our box and add 2 other ingredients. Seasonings and spices were not counted as well as pantry ingredients. I did take some time to think about what I wanted to make and the key elements of my sandwich was that it would have to be vegetarian , easy to make and not be boring. The reason for my vegetarian option was because my Mum is a vegetarian and also next week Hindus start their fast for Purtassi. So having a new dish to add to the menu would be a bonus.My sandwich was inspired by the Indian Street food dish Pav Bhaji, which is one of my favourite dishes to order when I eat at Spice Emporium in Durban. Using the concept of the traditional dish I made my take on the dish and here is the recipe:
SpiceGoddess Vegetarian Square Burger
A description of my burger would be a spiced and seasoned potato patty served over a hot and spicy tomato and mushroom reduction garnished with salad.This is a clever way to get in your 5 fruit and vegetables a day without the family complaining.The recipe is a great Meat Free Monday option.
Recipe serves 4
Ingredients:
1 pack of BB Squares
2 onions chopped
5 tomatoes chopped
half a bunch of coriander
6 mushrooms sliced thinly
5 potatoes medium sized
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon red pepper spice
2 tablespoons of masala (adjust to your taste)
salad to build your burger square
100g grated cheese
3Â tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon sugar
Method :
- Peel potatoes , cube them and then boil till soft.
- Mash potatoes add butter, pepper spice, half a thinly sliced onion, grated cheese and chopped coriander. Mix well
- Mould into burger shapes and put on a tray to get cold ion the fridge.
- Chop up onions and mushrooms and fry till golden before adding masala.
- Grate tomatoes and add to the onion and mushroom mix with salt and sugar.
- Cook well until mixture has reduced to half its size.
- Added chopped coriander to mix.
- Heat a frying pan and fry your burgers for 5 minutes on each side so that they crisp up.
- Start to assemble burger square.
- Butter the slices so that they do not become dry.
- Cover the base of square with the tomato  and mushroom reduction.
- Layer salad over that before adding the patty and cover.
- Bon Appetite.
- To the potato mix you can get creative with what you add in and beans and lentils can be used as well.
Do you want to challenge me in the #BBSquareOff?
Well you can and you can even stand the chance of winning a R5000 Yuppie Chef voucher.Here is what you need to do:
- Create your own sandwich using the same mystery box ingredients I have received.
- Make sure you grab a pack of BB Squares.
- You can use up to two other ingredients from your pantry.
- Get cooking!
- Submit your creation in the comments section of the BB Bakeries Facebook post and stand a chance to compete against the 4 Durban foodies.
Let me know if you are up for the challenge and your thoughts on my square.
Be Inspired !
Ciao x