hMINI CHICKEN TIKKA BURGERS WITH MINT CHUTNEY

hMINI CHICKEN TIKKA BURGERS WITH MINT CHUTNEY

If you can’t find tikka paste (an Indian spice paste) in your grocer’s ethnic foods aisle, you can substitute 1‚Ñ2 tablespoon of curry powder.

For the burgers:

1 tablespoon tikka paste (or 1‚Ñ2 tablespoon curry powder)

1 tablespoon plain yogurt

1‚Ñ2 teaspoon cumin

1‚Ñ2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

1 (3‚Ñ4-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated

1 garlic clove, crushed

14 ounces ground chicken

For the mint chutney:

1 small bunch fresh mint

1 (3‚Ñ4-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated

1 small green chili, chopped

Juice of half a lime

1‚Ñ2 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

1‚Ñ3 cup plain yogurt (or water)

Coarse salt and ground black pepper, to taste

To assemble:

Cooking oil

4 small naan breads (Indian flatbreads)

Short bamboo skewers or toothpicks

In a large bowl, combine the tikka paste, yogurt, cumin, cardamom, cilantro, ginger, garlic and chicken. Mix well.

With wet hands, mold the mixture into 12 small patties. Place the patties on a plate and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, make the chutney. In a blender, combine the mint, ginger, chili, lime juice, sugar, coriander, onion and yogurt. Pulse to produce a thick sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high. Brush the burgers with cooking oil, then grill for 5 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Set aside.

Cut each naan bread into 3 wedges and toast or grill until crisp. Top each wedge with a burger, then spear with a skewer. Spoon a bit of the chutney onto each burger.

Servings: 12.

(Recipe adapted from Paul Gayler’s “The World in Bite Size: Tapas, Mezze and Other Tasty Morsels,” Kyle Books, 2008.)