Fatima's Fabulous Kitchen

I don't eat to live. I live to eat.

Lamb Burgers with Oven-Baked Fries

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Kabobs are such a hit in South Asian cooking. And when we make burgers, it’s usually a kabob recipe in the form of a burger patty.

This burger recipe is somewhat a cross between a koubideh and kofta kabob. Koubideh is an Iranian type of kabob usually cooked on a skewer on top of a grill and made of minced beef/lamb and packed with onion and seasonings. Koftas are Middle-Eastern and contain ground-up nuts, parsley, onion, and spices.

To make this recipe, I whiz up a small onion along with some cilantro, chilies, garlic, ginger, and toasted cashews in a food processor. Using a cheesecloth, I squeeze out a little bit of the water, but leave most of it in (this is my trick for a juicy burger). Then I add in an egg to help it bind together.

For spices, I add a little bit of fennel, turmeric, black pepper, cumin, nutmeg, and salt.

burger patties

I shape them into patties and pan-fry them until brown on both side. If the weather is nice, feel free to fire up your barbeque!

For buns, I like brioche but use whatever floats your boat. I like to slather them with a thin layer of mayo and top the burger with slice of tomato, avocado, a few fries, and some lettuce.

Buns

 

You can’t have burgers without fries, of course. Frying up fries in oil can take a bit of time and calories, so I oven-bake mine. The trick is to let them soak in cold water for about 30 minutes. Then bake them at high heat so they crisp up. To season the fries, I add paprika, turmeric, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper. 

 

Matchsticks

 

Fries ready for the oven

And there you have it! An easy Middle-Eastern version of a burger. Make this at your next cook-out and see what people say!

 

 

Print

Lamb Burgers with Oven-Baked Fries

Servings 5 people

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lb lamb (ground)
  • 1 small onion
  • 3/4 cup cilantro
  • 1 small piece ginger (equavalent size to one garlic clove)
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1-2 serrano chilies
  • 3 tbsp cashews
  • 1 egg
  • 3/4 tsp fennel
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp coriander
  • 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 tsp salt

Fries

  • 5 potatoes
  • 1/4 tsp chilli powder
  • 1/4 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
  • 1/4 tsp sugar

Condiments/toppings

  • 1/3 cup mayo
  • 1-2 tomatoes (sliced)
  • 1/2 cup chopped lettuce
  • 1 avocado sliced

Instructions

  1. Peel and wash your potatoes. Cut them into 1/2 inch matchsticks.

  2. Put the matchsticks in a bowl and fill with cold water. Let sit for 30 minutes.

  3. In the meantime, work on your burgers. Toast the cashews in a pan over the stove until lightly brown. Remove from heat.

  4.  Take your onion, cilantro, garlic, ginger, chilies, and nuts and process in a food processor.

  5. Using a cheesecloth or a fine-sieve, remove about half of the water from the mixture. (Don't squeeze out all of it, because it will give your burger some moisture.)


  6. Add mixture to minced lamb. Add 1 egg, salt, spices (fennel, nutmeg, coriander, cumin) and combine well. Cover and let in sit in fridge for 30 minutes.

  7. Once fries are done soaking, drain water from fries. Set fries on a baking sheet and dry thoroughly with a clean kitchen towel.

  8. Pre-heat oven to 425 F. Add oil to you fries along with your seasonings - chili powder, turmeric, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, salt.

  9. Set baking tray in oven and bake for about 30-40 minutes or until golden brown with crispy edges.

  10. When the fries are about half-way done, take them out of the pan and flip them over.

  11. In the meantime, toast your buns in a regular pan or grill pan.

  12. Now form your burgers into patties. Depending on how big or small you want them, they should make about 5-7.

  13. Add a little bit of oil to your pan (medium heat) and add a few patties at a time.

  14. Look at the patty sideways. Once it has gained color about half-way up, turn it to the other side.  If you want to add cheese to your burgers, add your slice on top after you flip and put a lid over the patty. This will help the cheese melt smoothly.

  15. Top your buns with whatever condiments/toppings you like. I recommend a thin layer of mayo, a slice of tomato, avocado, lettuce, and some of the fries.

  16. Make sure you take out your fries once they are golden brown and crispy on the edges.