Naan Burger with Cucumber Raita
A lightly grilled naan, topped with a juicy burger and cool, tangy cucumber raita, brings together the best things about a burger and the bold flavors of India in only 20 minutes.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
Cucumber Raita
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- ½ cup cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
- 1 minced green onion, both green and white parts
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Burgers
- 1 pound ground venison or lean ground beef
- 1 ½ teaspoons garam masala
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
- 4 tablespoons melted butter, divided
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or vegetable oil
- 8 pieces of naan
- 1 beefsteak tomato, sliced
- 1 cup shredded lettuce
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, stir together the Cucumber Raita ingredients: yogurt, cucumber, cilantro, green onion, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to broiler setting.
- In a medium bowl, combine the ground venison with garam masala, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, black pepper, coriander, and 2 tablespoons melted butter. Divide the meat mixture into four equal portions, then flatten each into a patty about 4 inches wide and ½ inch thick.
- Add the oil to a 12-inch skillet and heat over medium until hot and shimmering but not smoking. Working in batches if needed, add 4 patties to the pan and cook until the underside is browned with a slight char, 3 minutes. Flip the burgers and cook until done to your liking, about 2 minutes more. I like my venison burgers cooked to 130 degrees F using an instant-read meat thermometer if they contain 100% ground venison, not pork. Transfer burgers to a large plate and let rest for 3 minutes while you toast the naan.
- Brush the top of each piece of naan using the remaining melted butter and place on the middle rack of the oven under the broiler setting and toast for 2 minutes.
- Season each slice of tomato with a pinch of salt and black pepper.
- Top each piece of naan with ¼ cup shredded lettuce, a slice of tomato, 2 tablespoons of crumbled feta cheese, a few pieces of sliced red onion, a cooked burger patty, and 2 Tablespoons of cucumber raita. Top with another piece of naan and serve.
