Burger, baby!

Did you know you could put a healthy - even sweet - spin to patties in buns? Read on.

Lentil Patty in Multigrain Wheat Bun
Prep time: 45 mins
Cook time: 10 mins
Roast/bake time: 5 mins
Serves: 5
Ingredients
60 ml olive oil
75 gm onion, diced
30 gm garlic, diced
100 gm capsicum, diced
75 gm carrot, diced
½ tbsp salt and pepper
½ tsp celery salt
250 gm chickpeas, boiled
150 gm boiled lentil
5 multigrain wheat buns
50 gm Lite mayo
50 gm BBQ sauce
100 gm tomato
50 gm mixed lettuce
Method
Heat a pan and add olive oil, followed by onion and garlic; sauté for 5 minutes.
Add diced carrot and capsicum to sauté for an additional 3 minutes.
Season with salt, pepper, and celery salt, and remove the pan from the flame; set aside.
Mince boiled chickpeas and lentils very well in a mixer and add the sautéed vegetables.
Mould patties by hand and place on the grill, or over a slow fire for 5-6 minutes.
Spread 10 gm of mayo on one half of a bun half, and 10 gm of BBQ sauce on the other. Place the patty on the first half.
Add a slice of tomato and mixed lettuce over your patty.
Finally, close with the top bun and serve.
Chef Mubarak Ali says: "This patty is the perfect example of a homemade, healthy, vegetarian option that everyone can appreciate the flavours of."

Ground beef, Monterey Jack and Alfalfa Sprouts in Swiss Chard 'Bun'
Prep time: 6 mins
Cook time: 5 mins
Serves: 1
Ingredients
1 whole leaf of Swiss chard
140 gm minced beef patty (80/20)
Rock salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1 slice of Monterey Jack cheese
½ tomato, diced
2 tbsp mayonnaise (made with real eggs)
1 tbsp whole grain mustard
20 gm alfalfa sprouts
Method
Blanch Swiss Chard for about 1-2 minutes to make it pliable, then cool in an ice bath.
Form a medium-sized patty from the minced beef with about 2-inch thickness, season with rock salt and fresh ground pepper.
Place patty on the grill for 5 minutes at 260°C, and flip every 2 minutes.
Add the cheese last for 2 minutes to melt.
Take the Swiss chard and add diced tomatoes, mayo and whole grain mustard, then add the patty and top with alfalfa sprouts.
Fold the Swiss chard around the whole burger for a tight burger 'bun'. Serve.
Chef Mubarak Ali says: "Swiss chard is the best leafy green to use in place of a burger bun, as it holds all the ingredients in perfectly, without the risk of anything falling out."

Toasted Brioche roll with Braised Shredded Chicken and Avocado-Lime paste
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves: 2
Ingredients
2 chicken breasts
Olive oil, as required
2 toasted brioche rolls
1 medium avocado, mashed
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
½ red onion finely diced
½ jalapeño, chopped
½ lime, juiced
Salt and pepper to taste
Butter lettuce, to serve
Tomato slices, to serve
Method
In a skillet, brown chicken lightly in oil.
Once browned, cover for 20 minutes until tender.
Shred the cooked chicken with a fork.
Take the mashed avocado and add cilantro, red onion, jalapeño, lime juice, salt and pepper; mix all together to form a paste.
Add the avocado lime paste, tomato and lettuce to
toasted brioche roll, followed by the shredded chicken.
Serve.
Chef Mubarak Ali says: "When handling a jalapeño, wear gloves to avoid the seeds touching your skin, in case you rub your eyes."

Ground Beef Patty stuffed with Cheetos Cheese Sauce
Prep time: 30 mins
Cook time: 10 mins
Serves: 5 persons
Ingredients
For the cheese sauce:
25 gm butter
25 gm flour
100 ml full fat milk
100 gm yellow cheddar cheese
½ tsp salt and pepper
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
50 ml cooking cream
For the patty:
800 gm minced beef (80/20)
2 small bags Cheetos
5 buttered potato buns
100 gm Boston lettuce
100 gm tomato
5 gm white onion
Method
Melt butter; add flour while stirring in milk slowly to make a roux. Add shredded cheese to the roux for a thick consistency with salt, pepper and cayenne to taste. Finally, add the cooking cream.
For the patty, make 10 minced beef patties of 70 gm each.
Stuff with cheese sauce mixture and Cheetos, and mould by hand for a tight patty.
Place patty on a grill (at 285C) for 10mins and flip every 2 mins for even cooking.
Once finished, place the patty on buttered potato bun with lettuce, tomato and onion base. Serve.
Chef Mubarak Ali says: "This is a fun, cheesy option, which takes a worldwide staple in snacking food and infuses it with a gourmet style burger."

Chicken Breast stuffed with Spicy cheddar in Sesame/flax seed bun
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 8-9 mins
Serves: 1
Ingredients
1 chicken breast
40 gm cheddar cheese
Cayenne, paprika, black pepper
and rock salt to taste
½ cup flour
1 egg
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
Gem lettuce, to serve
½ beetroot, sliced
½ tomato
Sesame or flax seed bun
Method
Butterfly and tenderise the chicken breast. Add cheese and spices to taste.
Roll the chicken and make it tight.
Dip the chicken in flour, then dip in whisked egg wash, and finally dust in bread crumbs.
Fry the chicken in hot oil for 7-8 mins.
Once done, place on buttered sesame or flax seed buns and top with gem lettuce, beetroot slices and tomato.
Serve.
Chef Mubarak Ali says: "It is very important to use fresh chicken breast for this recipe, as it will be crucial in getting that desired tender texture to the sandwich. Be sure not to overcook as well."

Kanafeh Burger
Prep time: 10 mins
Roast/bake time: 7-8 mins
Serves: 2

Ingredients
60 gm ghee
200 gm Kanafeh shredded dough
150 gm Nabulsi cheese
30 ml simple sugar syrup
15 gm pistachio paste
1 potato bun

Method
Soak the cheese the night before to get the salt out and wash again twice before using.
To prepare the kanafeh, take a small oven-proof Kanafeh dish and cover it in ghee; add the Kanafeh dough and pressed it in tightly by hand.
Add Nabulsi cheese to the dish, and cook for about 7-8 mins till golden on the bottom.
To finish, flip it over and add the sugar syrup.
Add pistachio paste to the potato buns, then add the Kanafeh. Serve.
Chef Mubarak Ali says: "For this 'burger', we've blended two cultures together to create something that's one-of-a-kind. This is for all the daring sweet and savoury lovers to devour!"

• Food and Dining