What movie would you pair with a great vegan burger? Pulp Fiction. You’ve seen it. Even if you haven’t, you’ve seen it parodied. Quentin Tarantino’s masterpiece established a new style of quirky filmmaking from which future filmmakers would borrow extensively. Tarantino drw upon a huge range of film influences from across the globe including French, Japanese and Italian violence, thriller and martial arts films. He loved films considered high art and also low budget, exploitation pulp. His classic Pulp Fiction is an homage to his influences, crafted into a unique vision. The name comes from creative fiction from the early 1900s for mass audiences printed on cheap paper and often including detective, lurid and sci-fi stories.
This post-modern, dark-humour comedy follows multiple, intersecting characters and storylines, although edited out of chronological order, in ways that reveal ah-ha moments of connection. There are the gangsters, their boss, his wife; a boxer and his girlfriend; drug dealers, drug users; rapists; a couple that robs liquor stores and restaurants (well just one restaurant); and a briefcase with a mysterious glowing content. Tarantino loves casual dialogue about nothing plot-related, that reveals character and is hilarious. The soundtrack is great and worth listening to by itself. And then there is the Big Kahuna Burger – from that tasty Hawaiian burger joint – which some young men are having for breakfast, and their last meal. Not a spoiler – ‘cause you’ve seen it. But it’s worth watching again. Watch out for Tarantino’s homages to his film influences, watch out for product placements. Also, apply some basic cautions. Don’t mimic any of the drug use – it never ends well – and don’t play any drinking game tied to use of the F-word in the movie.
The film won numerous awards and nominations – well deserved. Watch it with my (vegan) burger, fries and a five-dollar shake. Pulp meets classic in this extremely well-crafted piece of film decadence.
Sweet Potato & Black Bean Burgers
Ingredients:
- 2 large sweet potatoes
- 1/3 cup uncooked quinoa
- 1 cup oats
- 1 can black beans
- 1 red onion
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- Handful of fresh coriander
- Oil
- Burger buns
- Toppings of your choice
- Condiments: e.g. Culley’s garlic aioli and ketchup
Instructions:
1. Roughly chop sweet potatoes and roast in oven for 30-40 min until cooked through. Once cool enough to touch, peel off skin and continue to let cool completely.
2. Cook quinoa according to instructions on packet – 1/3 cup uncooked quinoa to 2/3 cup water.
3. Blend oats to create a flakey and powdery consistency.
4. In a large bowl, combine sweet potatoes, quinoa, black beans (drained and rinsed), diced onion, coriander, cumin, chili powder, paprika, and salt. Mash with a potato masher or with a handheld blender.
5. Once mixed and mashed well, add oats and stir together.
6. Create balls (approx ½ cup of mixture each) and flatten out into circular patties.
7. Bake in oven for 15-20 min, flipping halfway through.
8. Optional – Before serving, pan fry quickly in oil until golden brown on both sides for additional crispiness.
9. Serve with chosen burger ingredients and enjoy!!
(Makes approx 8 patties)
(@ChefXzadz for more recipes)