Clean Persian flavours are the foil to the rich lamb in these original burgers. If you can’t easily find ground fenugreek, don’t worry; the burgers are still great without it.
You can make the the yogurt sauce more balanced by refrigerating the chopped shallots in water overnight. This mellows them incredibly and adds to the simple, yet complex nature of the sauce. Just be sure to drain them very well before mixing them into the yogurt. The sauce can also be used as a dip for vegetables and such by soaking the shallots overnight and straining the yogurt with cheesecloth to thicken it before combining the ingredients.
Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
For the burgers:
1 pound lean ground lamb 1 large bunch fresh cilantro or Italian parsley – finely chopped 1 onion – finely chopped 3 cloves garlic – finely chopped or crushed 2 teaspoons ground turmeric 1 teaspoon ground fenugreek (methi powder in Indian stores) ¾ teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
For the sauce:
1 cup plain yogurt 1 shallot – finely chopped ¼ teaspoon kosher salt ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepperPreparation:
Preheat a large cast iron fry pan on medium-high heat.
In a suitable bowl, evenly mix all burger ingredients except for 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Do not overwork the mixture as it will create a chewy texture. Form the meat into four patties.
Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt in the fry pan and add the burgers. Cook for six minutes on each side and remove from heat.
While the burgers are cooking, combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
Plate the burgers and top with the yogurt sauce to serve.