Beefy cheese burger

We’ve all had our burger moments. After all, who can forget the first time we held a juicy, sauce-dripping burger in between our two hands and bit into it in a way that would have prompted Emily Post to raise an arched eyebrow? For burgers, as a certain Jughead Jones has been telling us for quite a while, are the stuff that dreams are made of.

For years, Indian burgers were of two types. One was what you got to eat in school and college canteens — two deep fried buns grasping a fried chicken, mutton or potato patty, ringed with onions and tomatoes. The other kind was something that Nirula’s — once the most popular fast food chain in Delhi — introduced us to. And this was a delicious burger consisting of two large and soft buns, with an equally large and juicy patty within. That was, I recall, when we first encountered a chicken-and-cheese burger.

But burgers, like everything else around us, have been morphing with time. Some days ago, I went to a new restaurant called Underdoggs Sports Bar & Grill at a South Delhi mall, and was quite impressed by the different kinds of burgers they had on the menu. Though the basics remain the same — patty in buns — the sauces, spices and even the kind of meats and cheese that go into burgers constitute a whole new world.

Chicken burger

For instance, I ate a delicious Texan Rodeo burger, which had the tart taste of jalapenos and barbecue sauces that often accompanies Tex-Mex food. I discovered that burgers these days can have a sweet taste to them as well, thanks to such ingredients as caramelised onions or sweet-and-sour sauces.

To make a perfect burger, I have been told by experts in the field, your meat should be just right. The beefy cheese burger that I ate, for instance, was simply superb because of the quality of the meat, which was lean and tasty. Second, the size of the bun should correspond with that of the patty. I would suggest that you buy your buns first, and then make your meat — or vegetable patties (vegetable burgers are an oxymoron, in my mind, but are popular in some quarters) — to fit with the bun.

Then, of course, there’s the all-important patty. You can use all kinds of meat (yes, yes, and veggies) for this, but my favourite is beef. Across the world, however, burgers are coming with patties prepared with venison, veal, bison and what have you.

Though a lot of chefs like to fry their patties, I personally believe the patty tastes better when grilled. And I like it even more when it is not well done, but medium rare, for that’s when the meat is at its juiciest best.

The new burgers in town have been successfully experimenting with cheese as well. Gone are the days when a burger meant a slice of stringy cheddar cheese. The Swiss burger that I ate, for instance, had the Swiss Emmental cheese adding to its taste. Some people like to add bits of blue cheese to a burger to give it its wonderfully sharp taste. A burger called the Blue Moon burger combines blue cheese with caramelised onions — combing the sweet taste of onions with the ripe flavours of the cheese.

Different kinds of fish have been turning up in burgers too. Tuna with its piquant flavour leads to a good burger, though my favourite, as always, is the salmon with its mild but smooth taste. While making a fish burger, one has to be careful not to overcook it. In fact any patty — meat, fish or vegetables — should be cooked in such a way that it retains its juices. Overcooking is one way of killing the juices.

I have to admit here that vegetarian burgers are breaking new grounds as well, with innovative dishes such as chickpea burgers and chipotle taco burgers. Burgers, chefs have been announcing to an increasingly health-conscious world, need not be red and meaty at all.

Still, I must admit that somewhere I draw the line. I love all kinds of burgers, and am willing to try out the more innovative vegetable ones. But let me testify that I will not — repeat not — eat a paneer burger ever, even if I am offered the telecom ministry.

Swiss Burger (serves 2)

Ingredients: • 2 burger buns • 40g butter • 50g iceberg lettuce • 400g minced beef • 5g salt • 10g crushed pepper • 30g bread crumbs • 50g Emmental cheese • 40g salad • 400g fries • 20g Cajun spice • 60g sautéed mushrooms • 60g caramelised onions

Method: Add salt and pepper to the beef mince. Divide it into two and flatten them into patties. Coat them with bread crumbs and deep fry. Take a burger bun. Cut it into half horizontally and then toss and grease with mayonnaise. Place a beef patty on the inside of a half bun, top it with a slice of cheese and a leaf of lettuce. Gratinate in a salamander for few minutes.

Remove and add sautéed mushrooms and caramelised onions. Top with the other half of the bun. Repeat the process with the

second bun and patty Serve with salad and fries sprinkled with Cajun spice.

Texas Rodeo Burger (serves 2)

Ingredients: • 2 burger buns • 40g butter • 50g iceberg lettuce • 200g minced beef • 5g salt • 10g crushed pepper • 60g American cheddar slice • 45g bread crumbs • 40g salad • 400 fries • 20g Cajun spice • 40g onion rings • 60ml barbecue sauce • 30g jalapeno

Method: Season the beef mince and divide into two portions. Flatten them into patties. Coat them with bread crumbs and deep fry.

Take a burger bun. Cut it into half horizontally and then toss and grease the sides with mayonnaise. Place a beef patty on the half bun, top with a slice of cheese and lettuce. Gratinate in a salamander for few minutes. Remove. Add barbecue sauce, jalapeno and onion rings. Top with the other half of the bun. Repeat this with the other bun and patty. Serve with salad and fries sprinkled with Cajun spice.