Chicken Burgers With Fresh Floury Baps And A Spicy Date Sauce!

Chicken burgers with fresh floury baps and a spicy date sauce!

FLOURY BAPS 

Makes 8 rolls

1 tsp dried yeast

450g white flour + extra for dusting (quite a lot extra!!)

1tsp salt + an extra pinch or two for more flavour

1 tsp golden caster sugar + an extra pinch or two for more flavour

1 tsp white sugar

15g butter (I always use just slightly less)

150mL milk + extra to brush

125mL water

Fill a small ramekin with hot water from the tap, add a teaspoon of white sugar, and the yeast. Wait for it to bubble, then add to bread machine bucket.

Measure the 125mL water, less the amount that was placed in with the yeast.

Put all ingredients into the bread maker bucket in order, set to dough programme.

Once done, remove from bread maker bucket & divide into 8 even sized pieces. Space slightly apart, cover with a kitchen towel and leave in a warm place to rise for 30-40 minutes until doubled in size. I usually place them on a sunny kitchen counter top, or above a heater if it’s a cloudy winter day.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius (180 degrees if fan bake, mark 6).

Make a semi-deep impression in each bap with your thumb.

Brush each bap with milk (this helps them to brown), and sprinkle generously with flour. (In that order!)

Bake for 18-20 mins.

Eat warm!!!

SPICY DATE SAUCE

4 pitted dates, soaked in a cup of boiled water for about 5-10 mins to soften – don’t throw away this water yet!

1 tbsp olive oil

juice from ½ a lemon

1 tsp dijon mustard

1 inch fresh ginger, grated (add more depending on how strong you like your ginger flavour)

1 tsp ground coriander

½ tsp chili flakes

¼ tsp cinnamon

salt & pepper to taste

1 tsp sweet chili sauce

1 + ½ tsp peri-peri sauce (depending on how spicy you like it)

Put all your ingredients in a blender, with half of the date soaking water. If too thick, add more of the date soaking water. If too thin, add more dates + more lemon juice to even out the sweetness. You can also add fresh herbs to add to the refreshing ginger-y flavours.

If you have leftover, keep in the fridge for about a day or so & use as a salad dressing (add a little more olive oil).

BURGER FILLING

You can use whatever you want, really, but here’s what I used.

Lots and lots of baby spinach (as much as you can fit in your burger)

Chopped almonds (about a handful per burger) just for more texture

Tomato + red onion

Fresh cilantro

Juice from a fresh lemon

cooked chicken breast – marinate with peri-peri sauce, lemon, powdered ginger (can use fresh, whatever’s available) + cilantro

Also – I toasted my baps slightly before making the burger (warm fresh bread is the best!!)

Really nice recipes. Every hour.

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