Seoulja boi burger

Makes 4 Starters and mains

Advertisement

Method

We do not recommend that you make this recipe using a barbecue. Use a saucepan griddle pan and frying pan on the hob, plus a deep-fat fryer or deep saucepan.

Trim all the excess fat, sinew and gristle from the chicken thighs and set aside.

Set out three shallow bowls. In the first one, mix together the flour, garlic and onion granules, coriander, both the peppers and half the salt. Put the beaten eggs into the second bowl. Finally, put the panko breadcrumbs, with the remaining 1tsp salt and the dried oregano, into the third bowl.

Coat the thighs in the flour, then the egg, and then the breadcrumbs, making sure to press the crumbs into the chicken. If you’re not cooking this straight away, keep the coated chicken chilled until ready to cook.

Next, make the sauce for the coating. Put the gochujang, sesame oil, cider vinegar, sugar, black beans and both soy sauces into a saucepan set over a low heat. Bring up to a simmer and turn off. If it’s too thick to mix, add a splash of water. Add the garlic and black sesame seeds and whisk together. Set aside.

For the sesame mayo, toast the sesame seeds in a dry frying pan for 2-3 minutes, until just beginning to turn golden, then let them cool. Mix with the Kewpie mayonnaise, sesame oil, salt and lime juice. Set aside.

Get a griddle pan nice and hot over a medium-high heat on the hob. Add the pineapple slices to the pan and allow them to colour and char slightly (around 3-4 minutes per side), before removing them and setting them aside.

For the pickled cucumber, use a swivel peeler to slice thin ribbons from your cucumber and place in a bowl. Mix the ponzu, black sesame seeds, coriander, sugar and sesame oil together, and adjust the seasoning if you need to with a touch of salt (or, if you like your pickle sweeter, add a touch more sugar). Pour the dressing over the cucumber, stir, then keep chilled until needed.

Pour the oil into a large saucepan (or you can use a deep-fat fryer), set it over a high heat and get your oil hot. Make sure your garnishes are all prepared. Once the temperature reaches 180C/350F, you are good to go. Deep-fry the chicken thighs for 7-8 minutes, or until the core temperature reaches at least 75C/167F.

Toast the buns and brush the inside of the top and bottom with the melted butter. Spread the bottom bun with sesame mayo and add some lettuce. Dip the cooked chicken into the sauce until completely coated, then place on top of the lettuce. Top with grilled pineapple, followed by ribbons of pickled cucumber (make sure you get the coriander and sesame seeds in there), and a sprinkling of spring onions, red onion and chilli. Spread the top bun with more sesame mayo, then bang it on and enjoy.