The colourful combination of white haricot and dark brown lentil, combined with the Asian flavours, make super vegetarian bean cakes. Adding the mango and mint salad on top, really enhances the bean cakes. If you do not have time to soak the beans you will need about 3 cups of cooked canned beans that have need well drained.

Ingredients

Lentil and Bean Cakes

• 1 cup dried haricot beans
• ½ cup small brown lentils
• 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
• ½ tsp mashed garlic
• 1 tsp minced chilli
• 1½ tsp minced ginger
• 1 tblsp Asian fish sauce
• 3 tblsp freshly chopped coriander
• oil for pan frying

Salad

• 1 telegraph cucumber, halved lengthways, seeds discarded, sliced diagonally
• 3-4 spring onions, cut into thin strips
• 3-4 sticks celery, sliced diagonally
• 1 mango or ½ pawpaw, peeled and thinly sliced (or use canned)

Thai Dressing

• ¼ cup fresh lime juice or lemon juice and ¼ cup oil (olive or peanut is best here)
• 2 tsp grated palm or brown sugar
• 1 tblsp freshly chopped mint, freshly chopped coriander
• 1 tblsp Asian fish sauce

Method

1. Soak haricot beans in cold water overnight, drain and rinse. Place in a saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Boil rapidly for 5 minutes and then simmer for about 1½ hours or until the beans are tender. Drain thoroughly.
2. Cook the brown lentils in boiling water for 25 to 30 minutes or until tender, drain.
3. Pan fry the onion, garlic, chilli and ginger in a dash hot oil until soft but not brown. Roughly mash the cooked beans and lentils then combine with onion mixture adding the fish sauce and coriander.
4. Shape the mixture into 15-16 small cakes. Pan fry in a little oil or brush lightly with oil and grill, turning once until golden and hot.
5. Toss the cucumber, spring onion, celery and mango together, arrange on a plate, top with the hot bean cakes and drizzle with Thai dressing. Serve immediately.

Thai Dressing

1. In a screw top jar, shake together the lime or lemon juice, oil, sugar, mint, coriander and Asian fish sauce.