Kate's Global Kitchen: Hot-Sour-Salty-Sweet Thai Herb Slider

Hot-Sour-Salty-Sweet Thai Herb Slider

Sliders

Makes 8 sliders

Summer in Thailand sizzles. Literally. Larb is a traditional Thai appetizer served as cooked, crumbled ground meat seasoned with the cooling flavors of lime, mint, and cilantro. Here, the dish morphs into mini-chicken burgers, made with the same refreshing ingredients and topped with bountiful fresh herbs. To help achieve the perfect balance of hot-sour-salty-sweet, choose breadcrumbs on the sweetish side.

Thai Seasoning Sauce

1 large lime (or 2 small)
2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce (nam pla or nuac mam)*
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Larb Patties

1 green onion
1/2 cup packed fresh mint leaves (1/2 ounce)
1/4 cup packed cilantro (1/4 ounce)
2 large cloves garlic
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 egg whites
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon sesame oil

For serving

8 small burger buns, buttered and toasted
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 carrot
Small, tender lettuce leaves; fresh mint and cilantro

*Note: Nam pla, or fish sauce, is found in Asian markets.

1. For the Thai Seasoning Sauce: Strip the zest from the lime and set aside for the larb patties. Squeeze 2 tablespoons lime juice. Mix the lime juice, fish sauce, sugar and red pepper together until the sugar is dissolved. (Makes 4 tablespoons.)

2. For the Larb Patties: Set up a medium to standard size food processor with steel chopping blade. Cut the green onion into 1-2 inch pieces for processing. Drop lime zest, green onion, mint, cilantro, and garlic into the chopping bowl. Pulse to coarsely chop. Add 2 tablespoons Seasoning Sauce and pulse until finely chopped. Scrape the mixture into a mixing bowl.

3. Cut the chicken into large (1-inch or so) chunks. Without rinsing the processor's chopping bowl, pulse the chicken chunks into small but coarse bits (about the size of large corn kernels; you want some texture). Scrape into the mixing bowl, and stir into the herb mixture. Stir in the egg whites, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper until evenly mixed. Chill until ready to use (up to 4 hours).

4. Stir together the mayonnaise and 1 tablespoon Seasoning Sauce. With a vegetable peeler, shred the carrot into thin strips; just before serving, toss the carrot strips with the remaining 1 tablespoon Seasoning Sauce in a small cup or bowl.

5. Heat the sesame oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. The larb mixture is too soft to shape into patties. With a standard size ice cream scoop (or 2 spoons), drop mounds of larb into the skillet, to create 8 patties. Brown on one side, then gently flip the patties over, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the chicken is no longer raw, but still moist. Total cooking time is 7-9 minutes.

6. To serve: For each slider, arrange lettuce on the lower bun, top with a larb patty, followed by mint and cilantro leaves, the seasoned carrot, and a spoonful of seasoned mayonnaise. Top with the upper bun and serve.