2 cups black beans
1 cup PLAIN bread crumbs
1 egg
Half an onion – grated
Several cloves of garlic – grated
1 tbsp chili paste (hot or not)
1 tbsp tomato paste
1tbsp powdered spice mix or blend of several spices or chilis (hot paprika, cumin and etc.)
1 tsp salt
Cooking oil of choice (I’ll use bacon fat or butter)
Quick-boil the beans (bring to a boil for one minute then let sit for 2 hours). Bring a large skillet and the fat to a sizzle, fry the onion and garlic for just a tick, remove when lightly browned and set aside. Put the beans in the pan and cover with fresh water, simmer till tender, half-hour? When they are soft enough to chew strain half and smash pretty good. Add all the other ingredients and, a third at a time, mix in the rest of the beans.
I find the best way to make them into consistent, inch-thick patties is to place plastic-wrap over a bottle-lid and press the mix into shape with the back of a wooden spoon. Flip them over and remove the lid, then peel off the parchment plastic wrap. I employ parchment paper in-between patties and stack them in freezer bags for quick, healthy meals on-the-fly.
Fry and eat fresh, fridge for a few days, or freeze for up to a couple months in legit freezer containers.