Pita Burgers...small on size, not taste!!

Saw these Mini Pita breads in the store yesterday…although a fry cry from the homemade pitas, thought these would be perfect as Pita Burgers for friends dropping in for brunch today…here it goes…

Pita Burgers

Ingredients:

For the patties:

• Minced Meat ( Mutton/Goat, Lamb or Beef; If using Cicken or Turkey, do refer to notes below), 500 gm
• Onion, Grated, 1 medium
• Fresh Coriander or Fresh Parsley, finely chopped, 2-3 tbsp
• Plain Yogurt/Dahi, 1-2 tbsp
• Cumin powder, 1 tsp
• Coriander powder, 1 tbsp
• Black pepper powder, ½ - 1 tsp
• Paprika, 1 tsp (optional)
• Garlic, paste, 2 tsp
• Ginger paste, 1 tsp
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, 1 tsp

• Oil or Oil spray for frying/baking

Assembling:

• Tomatoes
• Mini Pita Breads, store bought
• Hummus and/or Tzatziki

Instructions:

Take a large glass bowl and add the meat, onion, fresh coriander, yogurt, cumin powder, coriander powder, black pepper, paprika, garlic, ginger and oil. Don't add salt at this stage.

Mix everything thoroughly with a spoon and cover the bowl with cling film. Mix with a light hand - overworking the mince will end up toughening the meat. 

Let the mix marinate in the refrigerator for an hour or so (or overnight).

When ready to make, add salt and lightly stir it well.

With wet hands or an ice-cream scoop or a large spoon, portion the chilled mix and shape into equal size patties. 

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with oil or cooking spray. 

Add patties to the pan and cook for about 5-7 minutes on each side or until done to your liking. You can alternatively grill or bake these in the oven.

Toast the pita breads lightly and slice them in half to separate. 

Top with a thick tomato slice and the meat patties and load it up with Hummus and/or Tzatziki

Notes:

• I used lamb meat. If using chicken or turkey mince and cooking over gas/stovetop/grill, add a couple of tablespoons of couscous or fresh breadcrumbs to the mix so that the patties don’t break.

• It is best not to use lean mince as the fat helps to bind the burgers and keep them moist.

• Do check for seasoning before shaping into patties - pinch a little meat and cook on a skillet or microwave to do a taste check. 

• If you are unsure about the binding of the mix, make one burger first. If it doesn't hold up, add a whisked egg to the meat mix,