Home-Made Turkey Burgers with Raita

 

I have it on good authority that tomorrow is going to be sunny, very warm and the perfect day for dining alfresco!  Hope so because I have my daughter home for the weekend and her and her brother do enjoy wielding the barbecue tongs and vying for position as head chef as opposed to assistant sous chef. 

 

This gives me the perfect opportunity to get their comments on a recipe I kitchen-tested a couple of weeks ago (using a griddle pan). I wanted to make my own chicken/turkey burgers since I find the commercial offerings somewhat bland and often higher in fat than I would like.  I used lean minced/ground turkey breast (from a new supplier I’m trying out) with red onion, mint, coriander/cilantro, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and a smidgen of chilli. They cooked perfectly but were all the better for serving with a yogurt-based raita flavoured with mint and a side salad of spinach, cherry tomatoes and avocado (if you wish).

My griddle pan is non-stick and my barbecue is also well-used enough to have non-stick properties but if you’re worried then use just a little smear of oil or spritz of low-fat cooking spray to ensure your burger doesn’t break up when turning. Here’s hoping no matter where in the world you’re cooking tomorrow the sun shines down on you!

 

HOME-MADE TURKEY BURGERS WITH RAITA

Ingredients

METRIC/US

450 g/1 lb lean minced/ground turkey breast meat

1 medium red onion, finely chopped

1 tbsp chopped fresh mint

1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander/cilantro

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp soy sauce

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1/2 mild chilli, finely chopped (optional)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Raita Sauce:

6 tbsp low-fat natural yogurt

1 small clove garlic, crushed

1 tbsp chopped fresh mint (or 1 tsp mint sauce)

paprika pepper (optional)

baby spinach leaves, halved cherry tomatoes and sliced avocado (optional) to serve

 

METHOD

1.  To make the burgers, mix the turkey with the onion, mint, coriander/cilantro, egg, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, chilli if used and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well then divide and form into 4 small burgers or patties – take care not to make them too thick so that they cook through quickly without the outside becoming too charred. Chill until required – they can be made well ahead.

2.  To make the raita, mix the yogurt with the garlic, mint or mint sauce and salt and pepper to taste. Place in a small bowl, dust with paprika if liked and chill until required.

3.  To cook, grill/broil the burgers under the grill/broiler or over medium coals until cooked – about 10 minutes, turning frequently. Alternatively cook on a griddle. The burgers are cooked when the juices are no longer pink.

4.  Serve the cooked burgers with the raita sauce and salad of spinach leaves, tomatoes and avocado if liked.

 

SERVES 4

WLS PORTION: 1/2-1

 

CALORIES PER PORTION (FOR BURGER AND RAITA ONLY): 180

PROTEIN: 28.5g

CARBOHYDRATE: 6.2g

FAT: 2.5g

 

Image courtesy of www.proteinworld.com