Arabian Pita Burger

A deliciously savoury Chicken burger Patty, stuffed into a Pita with spiced Mayonnaise, to make this yummy Arabian inspired Burger. You can use regular Burger buns too.  A must try chicken patty recipe.

The total time (shown at bottom of page) is not inclusive of 2 hours requires for resting the Pita Dough (if making from scratch).

The Recipe Intro↓ has , more information on this recipe as well as Recipe Video. Don’t forget to check it out.

Ingredients for Chicken Patties:

Minced Chicken		400 gms
Bread		1 slice
Milk		1/4 cup
Garlic salt		3/4 tsp
Onion powder		3/4 tsp
Dried Basil		1 tsp
Black Pepper		3/4 - 1 tsp
White Pepper powder		1/2 tsp
Mustard powder		1/2 tsp
Paprika		1/2 tsp
Hot sauce		A couple of Dashes
Minced Garlic		1 1/2 - 2 Tbsp
Salt ( since we are already using garlic salt)		A dash

For the Spiced Mayonnaise:

Salad Oil (pre-measured) - I use Sunflower Oil		1 cup/ 240 mls
Pasteurized Egg		1 large
Distilled White Vinegar (I use 3/4 Tbsp)		3/4 -1 Tbsp
Black Pepper powder		1/2 tsp
Salt		1/4 tsp
Fresh Garlic, minced to a paste		1/2 tsp
Ground Cumin		1/4 tsp

Ingredients for Pita bread: 

Yeast		½ tsp
Warm water		½ cup
Sugar		A pinch
Flour ( half bread flour and half plain flour)		3 ¹⁄3 cups
Salt		1 tsp
Nigella seeds (optional)		1 tsp
Olive oil (plus more for brushing)		2 Tbsp

Other:

Sliced Onion Rings (white or yellow onions)		As needed
Sliced Tomato (fresh and ripe large tomatoes)		As needed
Shredded Lettuce (iceberg or romaine lettuce)		As needed
Cheese Slices		Optional
Oil for grilling		As needed

Method:

1. Make the Pita dough first, if you are making homemade: Method, below. You can use store-bought OR Regular burger buns, if you prefer.
2. Make the Chicken Patties and allow to chill before grilling:  Add the minced chicken to a bowl large enough to mix all the ingredients.
3. Soak the bread in milk. Squeeze out the milk well and then crumble the moist bread into the chicken.
4. Add all the other ingredients listed  for the ‘Burger Patties’. Mix this well using hands, makign sure that all the ingredients are incorporated evenly into the minced chicken.
5. Divide the mixture into 8 rough portions. Then press each ball, directly onto a tray lined with parchment paper to shape into patties. Here make sure the centre of the patty is slightly more pressed than the edges. This is so they don’t shrink while grilling them.
6. Place the tray in the freezer, for a while till the patties are just till the patties have stiffened a bit, not totally frozen.
7. Make the Black Pepper Mayonnaise: (here I am using the Immersion Blender to make the sauce – for other methods, see Notes.) Add egg to the dry container, along with vinegar, salt, pepper and1/4 cup of the pre-measured oil, just to help it get mixed initially.
8. Use the Immersion stick blender on high till everything is mixed together, the mixture thickens and becomes lighter (milky white) in color.
9. At this stage, add the garlic paste and cumin powder
10. Continue, slowly pouring the oil (a very thin streeam), as you continue blending on high speed. Keep lifting and lowering your blender stick as you do so. This helps to make the sauce nice and thick.
11. Add 1 Tbsp cold water, this removes any oily finish. Blend just briefly once again.
12. Lastly, Stir in the sugar and lemon juice to balance the flavours. Chill in the fridge. The mayo thickens, further upon chilling.
13. Grill / Pan – fry the burger patties: Using a grill pan, lightly oiled grill the burger patties on both sides till cooked through around 2 minutes per side. You should get nice grill marks on the first side. The second side required to be pressed down a bit towards the end of cooking ( Refer video) .
14. Assemble the Burger / Arabian Pita Burger: Have all the sliced onion, tomato and shredded lettuce ready. Warm-up your Pita bread or Toast you sliced buns, if you prefer.
15. Cut the Pita in half if thick enough to stuff the inside, or just fold and wrap.
16. Apply a good amount of Spiced Mayo and stuff with the tomato, onion and lettuce.. Add the hot patties and serve with chips, salad and cooldrink!

Method: for Pita Bread:

1. Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water, and let sit for 10 minutes
2. Mix the flour mixture with salt, nigella seeds, Olive oil and add the yeast mixture.
3. Add just enough water, stirring with a wooden spoon till the dough holds together.
4. Knead into a smooth elastic dough and form into a ball.
5. Brush olive oil over the ball of dough to grease all over lightly.
6. Place in a deep bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp cloth.
7. Allow rising for 2 hours.
8. Punch down the dough lightly (gently deflate) and divide into 8 smooth balls.
9. Flour work surface and roll out into thin rounds as large as possible.
10. Stretch a little with hands. There should be no holes.
11. Heat a griddle pan/non-stick pan on low till ‘quite hot’. Place one Pita at a time. Cover with lid. Leave for about 2 minutes, until it puffs up.
12. Turn over and wait till bubbles are formed on this side too.
13. Press gently, if needed with a spatula to help puff up the Pita. Flip over one more time if needed and press gently till puffed up nicely.
14. The Pita should be white with golden patches and soft and should fold easily.
15. Stack the cooked Pita over each other as they are made in a casserole dish and keep covered.
16. You can store cooled Pita in a tight zipper bag in the fridge and reheat in the Microwave.
17. (Sprinkle a few drops of water on the bread before doing so and microwave for 10 seconds or so only).

Arabian Pita Burger

Notes:

• If you do not have Garlic Salt, use garlic powder and extra salt.
• Regular Mustard, may be used in place of powder.
• Nigella seeds, imparts a unique spiced scent to the Pita bread, inspired by the McArabia burger Pitas, you may omit this as it is optional.
• If you wish to freeze the burger patties, you may do so. Once the patties have frozen completely on the tray, you can place them stacked into a freezer back. Speerate with small cuts of parchment, to prevent any sticking together while thawing later.
• Check out the Homemade Mayonnaise recipe, using three different easy methods.
  1. Using a blender
  2. Using a mini processor/canister blender
  3. Using an immersion blender
• Using cheese slices over the hot patties is optional.

Key Ingredients for Arabian Pita Burger: Patties (Minced Chicken, Spices, Garlic, Mustard, Bread, Milk,Dried Basil). Spiced Mayo (Egg, Oil, Spice,Vinegar, Salt). Pita (Flour, Yeast, Salt, Sugar, Olive oil). Oil for Grilling.

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