NAAN-TRADITIONAL BOMBAY BURGERS

Indian cooks place a high value on the balanced combination of flavor elements including sweet, sour, salty, and pungent (hot).These culinary concepts paired with memories of the delicious dishes I have enjoyed in Indian restaurants at home and also on several visits to Mumbai inspired this recipe. The aromatic, spicy spread, cooling raita, and sweet mango complement the chicken patties, with the addition of sweet potato and beet efficiently achieved by using prepared chips. I like to serve the patties on Indian naan flatbreads for a nontraditional, unique Indian dining experience.

Ingredients:

Gingered Tomato Spread ��
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sambal oelek or Chinese chili paste
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Cucumber-Chutney Raita
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup prepared mango chutney
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup coarsely chopped peeled and seeded cucumber

Chicken patties
2 pounds ground chicken
3 cups coarsely broken sweet potato and beet chips (if unavailable, substitute all sweet potato chips or regular potato chips)
1/4 cup finely chopped jalapeno chili
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

To complete the recipe
1 ripe large mango (or 2 if the mangos are small)
Vegetable oil for brushing on the grill rack
3 (9-inch round) Indian naan flatbreads

Instructions:

Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high.

To make the spread, pour the cumin into a heavy small dry skillet on the grill. Stir until the cumin darkens and just begins to smoke, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

In the same skillet on the grill, heat the oil. Add the ginger and garlic. Stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the toasted cumin and the remaining spread ingredients. Remove from the grill and set aside.

To make the raita, stir together all the ingredients, except the cucumber, in a small bowl. Add the cucumber and stir until evenly combined.

To make the patties, handling the chicken as little as possible to avoid compacting it, stir together the chicken, chips, chili, salt, and pepper in a large bowl just until evenly incorporated. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and form into (about 4-inch-round, 1-inch thick) patties.

Peel and cut the mango into 1/4-inch slices. Divide into 6 portions.

Brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover, and cook until lightly browned and no longer pink in the center, about 4 minutes on each side. (The cooked chicken should feel firm and somewhat springy when it is done. Juices should run clear, not pink. An instant-read thermometer inserted in the center should register 165°F.)

During the last minute, place the naan on the outer edges of the rack, turning once with tongs, to warm and to toast lightly.

To assemble the burgers: Cut each naan in half. Then cut each half in the center to form two wedges. For each burger, spread the smoother sides of 2 naan segments with the Gingered Tomato Spread. Top the spread side of one segment with a chicken patty. Arrange a layer of the mango slices and then add 2 heaping tablespoons of the Cucumber-Chutney Raita. Cover, spread-side down, with another naan wedge.