A chicken burger with an Asian spin.
Ingredients
"An Asian twist on an American classic and no fryer necessary – sesame-glazed grilled chicken breast, Shanghai mayo, crispy Asian slaw, roasted peanut and chilli powder. Perfect."
That’s how David Turofsky and Ben Ford describe this recipe, which features in their new book Wings And Things – and here’s how it’s done…
Serves: 4
- 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
- Oil, for brushing
- 125ml Roasted Sesame Dressing (see below)
- Salt and black pepper
For the Asian slaw:
- 1 cucumber
- 200g daikon
- 1 large carrot
- 2 spring onions
- 30g fresh coriander leaves
- 100ml rice wine vinegar
- 50g caster sugar
- 2tsp sesame oil
For the Shanghai mayo:
- 50ml Shanghai Sauce (see below)
- 150ml Japanese mayonnaise (or just mayo)
For the garnish:
- 4 seeded brioche buns, halved
- 1 baby gem lettuce, leaves separated
- 100g crushed roasted peanuts
- A few sprigs of fresh coriander, chopped
- 4tsp togarashi spice blend
For the Roasted Sesame Dressing:
- 400ml mayonnaise
- 250g black or white sesame seeds, toasted
- 50ml mirin
- 25ml apple juice
- 1tbsp sesame oil
- 25ml rice wine vinegar
- Salt and black pepper
For the Shanghai Sauce:
- 200ml dark soy sauce
- 200ml light soy sauce
- 100g honey
- 100g soft dark brown sugar
- 50ml sesame oil
- 100ml rice vinegar or distilled vinegar
- 1/2 head of garlic, roughly chopped
- 50g fresh root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
- Bunch of coriander stalks, chopped
- Bunch of spring onions, white ends only, roughly chopped
Method
For the Roasted Sesame Dressing:
Makes 500ml. Blend all of the ingredients together, loosen with water if needed, sieve to remove sesame seed husks. Season. Store in the fridge in a closed container and use within five days.
For the Shanghai Sauce:
Makes 500ml. Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan and boil. Once bubbling remove from the heat and leave to infuse. Strain into a suitable container and close. Store in the fridge and use within seven days.
Method:
- Shred all the slaw vegetables and coriander into long, thin strips. Mix the vinegar with the sugar and sesame oil until the sugar has dissolved. Pour over the slaw, add a pinch of salt and allow to sit and soften slightly.
- Stir the Shanghai sauce into the mayo and keep chilled. Preheat a griddle pan over a high heat. Butterfly the chicken breasts and brush with oil. Heavily season with salt and pepper.
- Add the chicken to the griddle pan. Once the chicken has changed colour around the edges, flip over and brush with some of the sesame dressing.
- Continue to brush with the dressing and turn until fully cooked and golden, and the core temperature is 75ºC.
- Toast the buns and spoon a little of the Shanghai mayo on the bottom half. Add a lettuce leaf and the grilled chicken. Top with the slaw and add more sesame dressing.
- Sprinkle over the crushed peanuts, coriander and togarashi.
Wings And Things: Lip-smacking Chicken Recipes by David Turofsky and Ben Ford, photography by Dan Jones, is published by Quadrille, priced £16.99. Available April 30.
