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Turkish Lamb Pita Burgers

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EatingWell
Turkish Lamb Pita Burgers
Rating: 5 stars
Heavy on exotic spices, this decadent sandwich is a great way to familiarize yourself with the joys of Turkish cooking. Lean turkey blended with lamb lightens the mix. Stuff the patties into warm pita bread or roll the mixture into meatballs and serve with the yogurt sauce on the side as an hors d'oeuvre.
total:
1 hr
Servings:
6
Turkish Lamb Pita Burgers

Ingredients

Ingredient Checklist

Directions

Instructions Checklist
  • Combine bulgur and water in a small bowl; let stand until the water is absorbed and the bulgur is tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain any excess liquid.

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  • Meanwhile, heat coriander and cumin seeds in a small skillet over medium heat until they begin to pop and are fragrant and lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Scrape into a small bowl to cool, then crush in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.

  • Combine 2 teaspoons of the spice mixture with yogurt, scallion greens, 2 tablespoons parsley, mint, oregano, lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

  • Combine tomato, red onion and oil in another small bowl.

  • Preheat broiler (see Grilling Variation). Coat a broiler pan with cooking spray.

  • Place the reserved bulgur, the remaining spice mixture, the remaining 2 tablespoons parsley and the remaining 1 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Add lamb, turkey, yellow onion, egg, garlic, cayenne, salt, allspice and cinnamon. Gently combine, without overmixing, until evenly incorporated. Form into 12 equal balls, then form each into an oval patty about 1/2 inch thick.

  • Place the patties on the prepared broiler pan. Broil, turning once, until browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 165 degrees F, 8 to 10 minutes total.

  • Slice open the warmed pita breads. Fill with 2 burgers, about 1/3 cup tomato mixture and 2 generous tablespoons yogurt sauce each.

  • Grilling Variation: To grill the lamb patties, preheat a grill to medium-high. Oil the grill rack (see Tip). Grill the patties, turning once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 165 degrees F, 8 to 10 minutes total.

Tips

Make Ahead Tip: Store the toasted spices (Step 2) in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Cover and refrigerate the yogurt sauce (Step 3) for up to 3 days.

Tips

Ingredient Notes:
Shopping Tip: Bulgur is made by parboiling, drying and coarsely grinding or cracking wheat berries. Unlike cracked wheat, it simply needs a quick soak in hot water for most uses. Look for bulgur in the natural-foods section of large supermarkets, near other grains, or online at kalustyans.com or buylebanese.com.

Tips

Greek-style yogurt is made by removing the whey from cultured milk. Removing the whey gives it an extra thick and creamy texture--making it the perfect ingredient for a lower-fat dessert topping. You can strain regular yogurt to make it thick like Greek-style yogurt. Line a sieve with cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. (Alternatively, use a coffee filter lined with filter paper.) Spoon in 1 cup nonfat plain yogurt and let it drain in the refrigerator until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 2 hours.

Tips

Tip: To oil the grill rack, oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Do not use cooking spray on a hot grill.) When grilling delicate foods like tofu and fish, it is helpful to spray the food with cooking spray.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:
567 calories; protein 28.5g; carbohydrates 64.1g; dietary fiber 11.4g; sugars 8.6g; fat 22.6g; saturated fat 7.2g; cholesterol 83.8mg; vitamin a iu 966.4IU; vitamin c 18.9mg; folate 45.9mcg; calcium 127.3mg; iron 2.9mg; magnesium 102.8mg; potassium 698.7mg; sodium 647.9mg; thiamin 0.2mg; added sugar 3g.
Exchanges:

3 starch, 1 vegetable, 3 lean meat, 1 fat

© Copyright 2021 eatingwell.com. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.eatingwell.com 04/16/2021
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© Copyright 2021 eatingwell.com. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.eatingwell.com 04/16/2021

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Turkish Lamb Pita Burgers
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