These Hummus Bowls With Ethiopian Spiced "Meat" Make The Most Of A Plant-Based Burger Patty

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July 16, 2020

James Beard Award-winning chef

Kwame Onwuachi is the chef of Kith and Kin, where he serves Afro-Caribbean cuisine. He won the James Beard Award for Rising Star Chef, was named one of Food & Wine's Best New Chefs, and has appeared on Top Chef.

Image by Aubrie Pick / Contributor

July 16, 2020

Sambusas are Ethiopia's version of samosas: pastry turnovers with a spiced meat filling. "There's a huge Ethiopian population here in D.C.," says chef Kwame Onwuachi, "and sambusas are a popular pre-service snack with our staff at Kith/Kin."

That was his inspiration for this quick, easy recipe, in which he skips the pastry and serves a sambusa-style filling over creamy hummus. "Anyone can make this, and it's so flavorful," says Kwame. "The seasonings and the texture always remind people of ground lamb."

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This version, from Impossible: The Cookbook, swaps in the popular "meat" in place of ground lamb for a vegan-friendly dinner dish that's packed with plant-based protein and flavor.

Ethiopian Spiced "Meat" With Hummus & Toasted Cashews

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

For the hummus

One 15½-oz. (445-g) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tsp. tahini
1½ tsp. ground cumin
¼ tsp. kosher salt
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil

For the Ethiopian spiced meat

1½ Tbsp. grapeseed oil
1 small white onion, finely chopped
8 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
1½ tsp. berbere (Ethiopian spice mix)
¾ tsp. ground cumin
¼ tsp. ground cardamom
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
Kosher salt
12 oz. Impossible Burger
¼ cup chopped toasted cashews
¼ to ½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, according to taste
Extra-virgin olive oil, for serving
3 to 4 pita breads, warmed and cut into wedges, for serving

Method

To make the hummus, add the chickpeas, lemon juice, garlic, tahini, cumin, and salt to a food processor and process until smooth. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil until well combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning; set aside. You should have about 1½ cups (360 g).
To make the meat, in a large sauté pan over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, berbere, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, and ¼ tsp. salt and cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent and the mixture is fragrant, about 10 minutes. Crumble the Impossible Burger into the pan and cook, stirring to break it up, until browned and cooked through, 8 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
To serve, spread the hummus onto a large dish, smoothing the top and creating a well in the center. Spoon the warm meat into the center of the hummus and garnish with the cashews, parsley, and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with warm pita wedges alongside.