Asian Shrimp Burgers

This Asian burger combines the sweet and umami notes of shrimp with the aromatic citrus notes from kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass, along with the fruity heat from chili. The burger is served on a butter-toasted hamburger bun topped with fresh, crispy vegetables and fresh herbs, as well as a dressing with delightful Asian flavors. Both the dressing and the shrimp mince for the burger can beneficially be prepared a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator until it is time to cook and serve the burgers. That way the flavors have time to merge well.

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You will need

Shrimp Burgers:

10.5 oz (300 g) raw large shrimp, peeled weight (save shells and heads – see tips below), deveined, rinsed, and finely chopped (see step 6)

1 egg

4 tbsp panko breadcrumbs

4 tbsp heavy cream

1 tbsp water

8 lime leaves, center vein removed and leaves finely chopped

4 tbsp coconut sugar, finely chopped or grated

2 tsp – 1 tbsp red chili, finely chopped (amount depends on type of chili and desired heat)

4 garlic cloves, finely grated

4 lemongrass stalks, smashed, outer layer removed, and finely chopped – preferably in a spice grinder. Use only the tender lower part of the lemongrass (see tips below).

5 tbsp fish sauce

5 tbsp potato starch

Additional panko for coating

Canola oil for frying

Dressing:

1 egg

1 tbsp rice vinegar

½ tsp sea salt

1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tsp lemon zest, finely grated

⅔ cup canola oil

1 ½ tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated

1 tbsp garlic, finely grated

2 ½ tbsp Japanese soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp honey

1 tsp or more fresh chili, finely grated (amount according to desired heat and type of chili)

For Serving:

4 hamburger buns, buttered and toasted

⅔ cup finely sliced shallots

Crisp salad leaves

Fresh cilantro and possibly mint

Fresh cucumber, thinly sliced

Tomato, thinly sliced

Red chili, thinly sliced

Dressing

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How to make it

Start by preparing the dressing:

Ensure all ingredients for the dressing are at room temperature.

1. In a small bowl, mix ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, and chili. Set aside.

1 ½ tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated

1 tbsp garlic, finely grated

2 ½ tbsp Japanese soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp honey

1 tsp fresh chili, finely grated (amount according to desired heat)

2. Place the egg in a high and narrow mixing bowl and blend with an immersion blender for about 20 seconds.

1 egg

3. Add rice vinegar, salt, lemon juice, and lemon zest, and blend for another 20 seconds.

1 tbsp rice vinegar

½ tsp sea salt

1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tsp lemon zest, finely grated

4. Scrape down the mixture from the sides and start the blender again. Gradually drip in about ¼ of the canola oil very slowly and in tiny drops while blending. Once the dressing base begins to thicken, slowly add the remaining oil in a thin stream.

⅔ cup canola oil

5. Fold the ginger and garlic mixture into the dressing base. Mix well and taste. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Refrigerate the dressing to allow the flavors to meld. The dressing can be made a day in advance for the best results.

Prepare the Shrimp Burgers:

6. Place the peeled, deveined, and rinsed shrimp in a sieve and press out as much liquid as possible. Finely chop the shrimp and place them in a bowl.

10.5 oz (peeled weight) raw large shrimp, deveined, rinsed, and finely chopped

7. In a separate bowl, combine panko with cream and water. Let it swell for a few minutes, then mix it into the shrimp mixture.

4 tbsp panko breadcrumbs

4 tbsp heavy cream

1 tbsp water

8. Add lime leaves, coconut sugar, chili, garlic, lemongrass, and fish sauce. Mix well.

8 lime leaves, center vein removed and finely chopped

4 tbsp coconut sugar, finely chopped or grated

2 tsp – 1 tbsp red chili, finely chopped (amount depends on chili strength and desired heat)

4 garlic cloves, finely grated

4 lemongrass stalks, smashed, outer layer removed, and finely chopped – preferably in a spice grinder. Use only the tender lower part of the lemongrass.

5 tbsp fish sauce

9. Add the egg and mix well.

1 egg

10. Add potato starch and mix well.

5 tbsp potato starch

11. Pan-fry a small piece of the mixture in canola oil to taste and adjust seasoning if needed. For more desired saltiness, add fish sauce, and for more desired heat, add chili.

12. Let the mixture rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before cooking, but even better, make a day ahead for flavors to merge.

13. Prepare the ingredients for serving.

4 hamburger buns, buttered and toasted

⅔ cup finely sliced shallots

Crisp salad leaves

Fresh cilantro and mint leaves

Fresh cucumber, thinly sliced

Tomato, thinly sliced

Red chili, thinly sliced

14. Pour a generous amount of panko on a plate and divide the shrimp mixture into four portions. Spoon ¼ of the mixture directly onto the panko and shape into flat patties using a spatula. Flip to ensure each patty is coated with a generous amount of panko on both sides.

Additional panko for coating

15. Heat canola oil in a pan and fry the patties over medium-high heat for a few minutes on each side until they are golden brown and cooked through.

Canola oil for frying

For serving:

16. Butter and toast the hamburger buns until crispy. Cover the bottom of the bun with dressing, then add salad leaves, tomato, and cucumber, followed by a shrimp burger. Top with sliced shallots, chili, and herbs. Drizzle with more dressing and place the top bun on top.

4 hamburger buns, buttered and toasted

⅔ cup finely sliced shallots

Crisp salad leaves

Fresh cilantro and possibly mint

Fresh cucumber, thinly sliced

Tomato, thinly sliced

Red chili, thinly sliced

Dressing

Tip: The parts of the lemongrass that are discarded can be saved for broth. Store them in the freezer until needed. The same goes for the shells and heads from the shrimp.

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