Curry Spiced Lamb Burgers Recipes

GREEK LAMB BURGERS

Steps:

• Heat an outdoor gas grill or an indoor griddle to medium (if working with an indoor griddle or skillet, you can just heat it once you prepare the meat mixture).
• Add the ground lamb (or mix of lamb and beef) to a mixing bowl. Add grated onions, garlic, fresh herbs, oregano, cumin, paprika and cayenne. Season with kosher salt and pepper. Add a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and mix until everything is well combined.
• Divide the meat mixture into 8 equal balls. Using both hands, work meat into smooth spheres, then lightly press to form into patties. Arrange the patties on a large tray or dish, and with the tip of your thumb, press lightly to form a shallow, somewhat wide, depression into the center of each patty. (see cook's tip #2 below) Cover and refrigerate, if you have the time.
• Lightly oil the grill grates (or indoor griddle) and arrange the burger patties on top. Grill over medium heat, covered, for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, turning once midway through cooking (internal temperature for a medium burger should register 160 degrees F. Adjust cooking time according to your desired doneness.)
• Allow the lamb burgers to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Serve in pita pockets (or buns), with tztaziki sauce, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, onions. If you like add kalamata olives and a sprinkle of feta.

CURRY-SPICED LAMB BURGERS

Steps:

• If grilling or broiling, heat should be medium-high and rack about 4 inches from fire. Put lamb and onion into a food processor (in batches if your machine is small) and pulse until coarsely ground. Put in a bowl with chili, coriander, cumin and turmeric, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix, handling the meat as little as possible, until combined. Taste and adjust seasonings. Handling meat as lightly as possible to avoid compressing it, shape it into 4 or more burgers.
• To broil or grill, cook about 3 minutes on each side for rare and another minute per side for each increasing stage of doneness. For stovetop, heat a large skillet over medium heat for 2 or 3 minutes, then add patties; cook, undisturbed, for about 2 minutes, then rotate them so they brown evenly. Turn once and cook for a total of about 6 minutes for rare.
• Garnish with diced mango, green and red pepper, red onion and scallion, and with shredded carrot and lettuce.

MALAYSIAN INDIAN CURRY-SPICED BEEF BURGERS

Steps:

• Preheat a grill to medium and lightly grease the grates with canola oil.
• Drizzle the red pepper, jalapeno and sliced onions with olive oil, and season them with salt, pepper, to taste, and curry powder. Grill the vegetables over medium heat until they have grill marks and are softened, approximately 5 minutes. Allow them to cool, then peel off the skin of the red pepper. Finely chop the onions and pepper and set aside. Reserve the jalapeno for the aioli.
• In a small saute pan over medium heat, add the 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/4 cup curry powder, the grated garlic, grated ginger, turmeric, coriander, cumin, and garam masala, if using. Allow the spices to toast in the oil until fragrant and become slightly darker in color, approximately 2 to 3 minutes (If this mixture seems dry, feel free to add a little more oil to the pan.) Allow the spices to cool slightly.
• In a medium-sized bowl, use a fork or chopsticks to combine the beef, the spice mixture, the grilled red pepper, red onion, green onions, ketchup, brown sugar and soy sauce. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Cover the mixture with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (Marinating overnight is even better to help the flavors marry.)
• Remove the burger mixture from the refrigerator, and divide it into 4 equal-sized quadrants. Brush the patties with olive oil, season both sides with salt and pepper, and put them the grill. Cook the patties to medium-rare or medium doneness, about 3 minutes on the first side, then 4 to 5 minutes on the second side. Make sure to rotate the patties once on each side to achieve nice crosshatch marks. Once cooked, transfer the patties to a plate and tent them with aluminum foil. Allow them to rest for at least 10 minutes.
• Combine the mayonnaise, mint, green onion, grilled jalapeno, garlic, curry powder, cumin, lime zest and juice in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is well integrated, but there are still chunks of green onion and jalapeno remaining. Season the puree with salt and black pepper, to taste. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, toss together the fried onions with the garam masala until they are evenly dusted with the spice. Set aside.
• While the burgers rest, halve the brioche rolls, and put them, cut side down, on the grill grates. Toast until they are a light golden brown, about 10 seconds. Set aside.
• To serve, generously spread 1 tablespoon of aioli onto each side of the rolls. Press 4 to 5 slices of cucumber into the mayonnaise on the bottom of the roll. Top the cucumbers with a handful of baby lettuce, then a burger patty, and finally, approximately 1/4 cup of the fried onion mixture. Cover with the top of the buns and serve immediately with a side salad and the Grilled Sweet Potato Fries.
• Add the egg yolk, salt, dry mustard, and sugar to a large bowl. Whisk by hand or with an electric mixer until combined. Pour in the lemon juice and vinegar and whisk once more.
• While whisking continuously, very slowly drizzle in the canola oil. Keep drizzling until the mixture has emulsified and the entire cup of oil has been incorporated into the egg mixture. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

CURRIED LAMB BURGERS WITH GRILLED VEGETABLES AND MINT RAITA

Steps:

• For raita:
• Mix yogurt, mint, cilantro, and lime peel in small bowl. Season to taste with coarse salt and pepper. Cover; chill until cold, at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.
• For burgers and vegetables:
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, ginger, and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt. Sauté until onion is tender, about 8 minutes. Mix in curry powder and stir 30 seconds. Remove from heat. Cool onion mixture to room temperature, at least 15 minutes.
• Place lamb in large bowl. Add onion mixture, 1 teaspoon coarse salt, cilantro, and 1 teaspoon cracked pepper. Blend mixture gently; shape into six 1/2-inch-thick patties.
• Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Combine zucchini, green onions, and chile in another large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons oil, 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, and 1/2 teaspoon cracked pepper; toss to coat. Place vegetables and burgers on grill. Cook until grill marks appear, about 4 minutes. Turn vegetables and burgers over. Cook vegetables until tender, about 3 minutes. Cook burgers to desired doneness, about 4 minutes for medium-rare. Cut zucchini and green onions crosswise into 2-inch-long pieces. Cut chile into thin strips.
• Place breads on plates; top with burgers and tomato slices. Mound vegetables on burgers; spoon dollop of raita over. Fold bread up around burgers and serve with remaining raita.
• * Often called a pasilla; available at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Latin markets.

GRILLED SPICY LAMB BURGERS

Steps:

• Preheat grill for medium heat.
• Place the lamb in a large bowl, and mix with the mint, cilantro, oregano, garlic, sherry, vinegar, and molasses. Season with cumin, allspice, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper, and mix well. Shape into 4 patties.
• Brush grill grate with oil. Grill burgers 5 minutes on each side, or until well done. Heat the pita pocket briefly on the grill. Serve burgers wrapped in pitas with feta cheese.

SPICED LAMB BURGERS

Steps:

• If grilling or broiling, heat should be medium-high and rack about 4 inches from fire. Put lamb and onion into a food processor (in batches if your machine is small) and pulse until coarsely ground. Put in a bowl with chili, coriander, cumin and turmeric, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix, handling the meat as little as possible, until combined. Taste and adjust seasonings. Handling meat as lightly as possible to avoid compressing it, shape it into 4 or more burgers.
• To broil or grill, cook about 3 minutes on each side for rare and another minute per side for each increasing stage of doneness. For stovetop, heat a large skillet over medium heat for 2 or 3 minutes, then add patties; cook, undisturbed, for about 2 minutes, then rotate them so they brown evenly. Turn once and cook for a total of about 6 minutes for rare.
• Garnish with diced mango, green and red pepper, red onion and scallion, and with shredded carrot and lettuce.