Ground Beef and Buckwheat Patties with Cumin and Lemon Yogurt

Rinse 1 cup buckwheat under cold water in a fine mesh strainer. Combine with 2 cups water and 0.5 tsp salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer for 15 minutes until water is absorbed and buckwheat is tender.

Remove from heat and let steam, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and spread on a rimmed baking sheet to cool completely — this prevents mushy patties.

While buckwheat cools, finely grate the yellow onion and squeeze out excess moisture with your hands or a clean kitchen towel. This step matters — too much moisture makes patties fall apart.

Mince 3 garlic cloves until paste-like. Roughly chop 0.25 cup parsley.

In a large bowl, combine cooled buckwheat, ground beef, grated onion, garlic paste, 1.5 tsp cumin, 1 tsp salt, and 0.5 tsp black pepper. Mix thoroughly with your hands until just combined — overworking makes them dense.

Divide mixture into 8 equal portions (about 80g each). Form into round, flat patties roughly 1cm thick. They should hold together but feel tender, not tightly packed.

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until oil shimmers, about 2 minutes.

Cook patties in two batches, spacing them apart. Sear 4-5 minutes per side until deeply browned and cooked through — an instant-read thermometer inserted sideways into the center should read 71°C (160°F) for safe ground beef.

Transfer cooked patties to a paper towel-lined plate. Add remaining oil to the pan for the second batch.

Halve the lemon and squeeze 2 tbsp fresh juice into a bowl. Avoid seeds.

Whisk together 1 cup yogurt, lemon juice, 0.5 tsp cumin, and 0.25 tsp salt until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust — it should be tangy, bright, and warmly spiced.

Spoon a generous pool of lemon yogurt onto each plate. Arrange 2 patties per serving atop the sauce. Serve immediately while hot — they crisp up nicely and the yogurt stays bright.