We make them quite a lot. You don't have to make them "ethnic", though I think so many things are better with cilantro. What an amazing thing it is.
My basic combination is like this:
1) Choose a protein. Garbanzo beans, black beans, lentils. Each of these are great by themselves or in some combination if you like. Garbanzo will take your flavor profile in a different direction though.
2) Bread crumbs.
3) Flavor. It could be chopped jalapenos, garlic, onions, cumin, cilantro, lemon juice, etc. etc.
4) Something to bind everything. I like using potato starch, but obviously an egg would work well too.
5) Some kind of a dressing. I go everywhere from a cilantro relish to a tamarind chutney, but you could just use ketchup if you like.
All of these can be made without a food processor. A potato smasher would help though, but no need to get crazy with it.