The BEST Homemade Spicy Lamb Burgers

Lamb has got to be my favourite meat. It's so juicy and it soaks up flavour really well. That's why I think it makes the PERFECT burgers.

You can find the full list of ingredients along with a detailed method and video at the end of this post, as well as some tips and insights into the making of these below.

-------------------------------

I've been making these for some time now, and as with every other favourite recipe of mine, each time I try to improve it further by switching up ingredients and quantities in the hopes of achieving the ultimate result. And I believe I have finally mastered these burgers!

THE SECRET OF THE AUBERGINE

Taking inspiration from my mum's classic lamb curry, the addition of minced aubergine is a blessing! Its role in the curry is to thicken up the sauce and help alleviate the tomatoey taste and level it out with the flavour of the meat. However, these burgers do not contain tomato, so what's its purpose in these?

Anyone who has made homemade burgers before will know that if you don't season the mince enough, you're left with a meaty iron taste which isn't too appealing. Although using the right amount of spices can eliminate this, the addition of minced aubergine will mellow it down enough so that you don't have to go too crazy with the seasoning. Also, the water that is released when aubergine is cooked helps to add moisture to the burger so it's extra juicy!

FUN FACT: Did you know... "Popeye helped increase American consumption of spinach by a third"?! (according to Samuel Arbesman - The Half-life of Facts: Why Everything We Know Has an Expiration Date)

I love putting spinach in whatever I can, not just because of its health benefits, but due to the lovely leafy green flavour it adds to non veg dishes in particular. Mincing it up works much better, especially if you're trying to up your Vitamin C content through greens, but you're not a fan of the taste or texture. You won't even notice it in these burgers - it's not so prominent that you can taste its presence, but it's enough to make them even more flavourful!

OTHER NOTES:

To make the burgers I usually buy a pack of lamb mince from the supermarket. However, if you want to go the extra mile, you can make your own lamb mince. Freshly minced meat is always so much more tastier.

For this recipe I don't use oil because it isn't really needed. Instead, for the 'glue', I use chopped red onions as the juices produced from this really helps to hold the meat together, and adds a nice flavour. Red onion is always a great ingredient for meat dishes.

TIP: Make the burgers in advance and freeze them individually by wrapping them in cling film. That way, you only have to defrost one at a time as and when you want to eat it, and it gives time for the meat to really marinate so they will taste even better! However, store them in a food bag or container once wrapped in case the juices leak through.

As well as listing the ingredients below, I've also provided the Indian names for some very common herbs and spices used in traditional curries. So if you hear or see any of these, you'll know what they are!

INGREDIENTS (makes 4):

• 500g lamb mince (I use 10% fat to give me a higher protein content, but you can use any)

• 1/2 red onion, blitzed or finely chopped

• 100g spinach, blitzed or finely chopped

• 1/2 aubergine, blitzed or finely chopped

The following ingredients can be altered to taste depending on how spicy/seasoned you like your food, however I've provided a rough guideline to give an idea of ratios:

• 1 1/2 tbsp garlic, minced - this is about 2-3 cloves. You can finely chop or use a garlic crusher is preferred

• 1 tbsp green chillies, deseeded and minced OR very finely chopped

• 1 tbsp ginger, minced or grated

• 1/4 tsp scotch bonnet chilli (optional - this is my secret ingredient for those of you who welcome the heat!)

• 1 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp turmeric (haldi)

• 1 tsp cumin and coriander powder (dhania jeera)

• 1/4 tsp garam masala powder

• 1/4 tsp red chilli powder (optional for if you want that extra spice)

• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (optional)

For the burger:

• lettuce leaves

• salad tomato

• sriracha sauce (or any other sauce, burger relish etc)

METHOD:

1. Place your lamb mince in a large mixing bowl. Note: if you've brought packaged mince from the supermarket, DO NOT wash as it will go soggy. The meat would have been cleaned when processed.

2. Add in all of your ingredients into the bowl. If you're not a fan of spice go for about 1/2 tbsp green chilli instead.

3. Mix well - ideally with your hand as this gives the mince a nice consistency and will mix in all the flavours better. Wear some latex/plastic gloves if you have some, or DIY some gloves using a food bag and an elastic band to secure it at the wrist and voila!

4. Divide the mixture into 4 equal sections. Lay out 4 sheets of cling film separately, large enough to fold over your burger and wrap it up. Take the first section and using your palms, roll into a ball, smoothing out the edges. Place the ball onto one side of a cling film sheet. Repeat this for the rest of the meat.

5. Remove your gloves. Fold the other side of your cling film over the meat so it's fully covered, then gently pat down to flatten into a round burger shape. Once you're happy with the size, wrap the rest of the cling film around it and re-shape if required. Repeat to make the other 3 burgers.

6. Store in the freezer for at least 1 day prior to cooking. This will allow the burger to take shape and the spices to marinate into the meat, resulting in fuller flavour.

7. To cook the burgers, ensure they are fully defrosted first. You can either cook them on a griddle or frying pan, or place in the oven. - On the griddle or frying pan, heat up half a teaspoon of oil, then cook, flipping regularly, for about 10 minutes, or until fully cooked through - poke with a knife to check. - To cook in the oven, use a dish that is ideally as deep as the burger and lay down a piece of foil. Place the burger in the centre of the dish and cook for 40 minutes at 200°C (180°C fan oven), turning over half way.

8. Lightly toast the brioche bun in the oven for a minute or 2. Make your burger: start with the lettuce, then burger, then tomatoes, and finally the sauce. Serve with chips, wedges or salad (I opted for mango salad and it was perfect!)

NOTE: You can even enjoy these burgers with salad or rice!

NUTRITIONAL INFO (per burger, without buns & toppings):

246 kcal

9.5g carbs

10.7g fat (4.5g saturated)

26.5g protein

3.1g sugar