Burger inspired by the capital’s best
teaspoon salt teaspoon caster sugar cup rice wine vinegar
For the pork and ginger patties
1 clove garlic, crushed to a paste with
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
4-6 spring onions, finely chopped (keep the green parts for garnishing)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
500g free-range pork mince
For the hoisin mayonnaise To assemble the burgers
teaspoon salt
cup mayonnaise (I use Best Foods) 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons rice bran oil
12 bao buns
2-3 handfuls baby salad greens or thinly sliced green cabbage
Make the radish pickles first. Put the radishes, salt and sugar in a small bowl. Heat the vinegar in a small pot, then pour over the radishes. Stir well and set aside.
Next, make the pork and ginger patties. Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Form into 12 small patties and place on a lined plate or tray. This can be done several hours in advance and stored in the fridge.
To make the hoisin mayonnaise, put all the ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. Taste and season accordingly – add more salt, pepper or lemon juice as needed. Cover and set aside (this can also be done in advance and stored in the fridge for up to a week).
When you’re ready to eat, set a large, heavy frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the rice bran oil and allow it to heat up.
Add the pork and ginger patties and cook for about three minutes each side (you may have to do this in batches). Remove the cooked patties to a plate and keep warm while you steam the bao buns.
To serve, invite diners to assemble their own bao burgers – stuffing them carefully with the pork and ginger patties, some greens or cabbage, some pickles and a generous drizzle of hoisin mayonnaise.
Serves 4 Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes
These burgers are an almost-instant dinner, especially if you have a fridge full of condiments. Get the eggs right and the yolk will break satisfyingly over the rest of the burger contents when you take the first bite.
4 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
4 portobello mushrooms, stalks trimmed
4 burger buns, halved and buttered
1 teaspoon olive oil
4 eggs
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
4 handfuls baby spinach leaves
4 slices cheese
4 tablespoons spicy tomato chutney, hot sauce or mustard
Heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius, and line a baking tray with baking paper.
Mix three tablespoons of the butter with the chopped garlic. Spread this mixture over the underside of the mushrooms and place them on the prepared tray. Season well with salt and pepper, and bake for 15 minutes.
While the mushrooms are cooking, get the other components ready. When the mushrooms have cooked for 10 minutes, add the burger buns to the oven tray and put in the oven to warm through.
Set a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and the olive oil. When the butter has melted and the oil is hot, carefully crack the eggs into the pan (use egg rings if you like things to be nice and tidy).
Cook for a minute, then cover the pan and cook until the egg white is opaque. Remove the pan from the heat.
To assemble the burgers, spread the warmed bun bases with mayonnaise and pile with the spinach leaves.
Set a mushroom on top of each one, followed by a fried egg and a slice of cheese. Spread the bun lids with chutney and balance on top. Serve immediately.