New Series: Lit Burger – Lit Burger #1 is The Sound and the Curry Burger

I am very late to the game when it comes to loving the stuffing out of the animated show Bob’s Burgers. To make up for taking so long to become a fan, I am creating a new series that ties Bob’s Burgers to the literary world. It is called: Lit Burger!

For each episode, there is at least one burger special written on the chalkboard on the wall of Bob’s restaurant. Some of the specials have a bookish spin to them, so my goal is to create all those burgers and give you the recipe

The first burger is from Season 1, Episode 10 and is called the Sound and the Curry burger. I can’t say I was a huge fan of William Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury, but this burger is pretty darn tasty. I hope you enjoy!

 

Burger

5 oz grated zucchini (when squeezed 4.25 oz)
1 lb ground turkey
1/4 cup seasoned whole wheat breadcrumbs
1 clove garlic, grated
1 tbsp grated red onion
2 tbsp Thai Green Curry Paste (I used Thai Kitchen brand)
1 tsp kosher salt and fresh pepper
oil spray
4 burger buns (I used Trader Joe’s Classic Hamburger Buns)

Toppings

Lettuce (either romaine or iceberg)
Tomato
Mae Ploy sweet chili sauce
Kewpie mayonnaise
Pickled carrots and radishes (recipe below)

Pickled Carrots and Radishes

1 cup carrots cut into thin matchsticks
¼ cup radishes cut into thin matchsticks (or as close to a matchstick shape as possible)
3 tablespoons rice vinegar (I like Marukan unseasoned)
2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons granulated white sugar

For the carrots & radishes:

In a medium-sized bowl, mix together all the ingredients besides the carrots and the radishes. Mix until the sugar and salt dissolve in the liquid.

Add the carrots and radishes to the liquid, coating completely. Allow carrots and radishes to sit for at least 20 minutes (overnight at a maximum). Drain the liquid before serving

 

DIRECTIONS

For the burger:

Using paper towels, squeeze as much of the moisture from the zucchini as possible.

In a large bowl, mix ground turkey, zucchini, breadcrumbs, garlic, onion, curry paste, salt and pepper, then divide into 4 equal patties.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat. When hot, spray a small amount of oil to cover the surface of the skillet. Place the burgers in the pan and reduce the heat to low. Cook on one side until browned, then flip. Flip the burgers a few times to prevent burning and to make sure they are cooked all the way through (at least 165° F internal temperature).

To assemble the burger:

Toast the buns, then add a swirl of Kewpie mayonnaise to the top half of each bun.

Place burgers on the bottom halves and cover the burgers with Mae Ploy chili sauce. Next top all burgers with lettuce, tomato and pickled carrots and radishes. Place the top half of bun over your creation and take a bite!

Adapted from the Skinnytaste Turkey Burgers with Zucchini recipe.

 

If you try the recipe, let me know what you think in the comments below!