Malaysian
Malaysian Street Burger
Shape thin seasoned beef patties, cook them on a griddle with Worcestershire and seasoning sauce, wrap each in a thin fried egg and stack into toasted buttered rolls with cabbage, cucumber, mayonnaise and chilli sauce; about 45 minutes for 4.
The Malaysian street burger is cooked to order at roadside stalls every evening: a thin, well-seasoned beef patty splashed with sauces on a hot griddle, wrapped in a thin sheet of fried egg, and stacked into a buttery toasted roll with shredded cabbage, cucumber, mayonnaise and chilli sauce. Wrapped in paper and eaten hot, it is messy, savoury and sweet all at once. This home version makes the patties from scratch, so you can use beef or chicken.
- Serves 4
- Prep: 20 min
- Cook: 25 min
- Total: 45 min
Ingredients
Patties
- 500 g beef mince, about 20% fat, or minced chicken
- 1 tbsp cornflour
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Burgers
- 4 soft sesame burger rolls
- 40 g butter or margarine, softened
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 4 eggs
- 4 slices processed cheese (optional)
- 100 g cabbage, finely shredded
- 1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced
Sauces
- 4 tbsp mayonnaise
- 4 tbsp chilli sauce
- 2 tbsp tomato ketchup
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp seasoning sauce
Method
- Mix the mince with the cornflour, sugar, salt, coriander, garlic powder and pepper. Divide it into 4 and shape thin patties about 12 cm (5 in) across. Chill them for 15 minutes.
- Heat a large griddle or frying pan over medium-high heat with 10 g of the butter. Fry the onion for 3 minutes until soft and golden, then push it to one side.
- Split the rolls, spread the cut sides with the rest of the butter and toast them cut side down on the griddle for 1 minute. Set aside.
- Cook the patties for 2 minutes per side. As each side cooks, splash it with 1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce and 1/4 tsp seasoning sauce. Lay a slice of cheese on top, if using.
- For each burger, beat 1 egg and pour it onto the griddle in a thin round about 20 cm (8 in) across. Put a patty and some onion in the middle while the top is still runny. When the egg is set underneath, after about 1 minute, fold the four sides over the patty to make a parcel.
- Spread the bottom of each roll with mayonnaise, chilli sauce and ketchup, add cabbage and cucumber, then the egg-wrapped patty, more sauce and the top. Wrap in paper and serve hot.
Tips
- Chicken version: use minced chicken thigh and cook the patties for 3 minutes per side, until cooked through.
- Plain burger: skip the egg wrap for a simple burger, or fry an egg on the side.
- Make ahead: shaped patties freeze well between sheets of baking paper for up to 1 month. Cook them from frozen for 3 minutes per side.
- Sauce mix: stir the mayonnaise, chilli sauce and ketchup together in a squeeze bottle for faster assembly.
Questions
What makes a Malaysian street burger different?
A thin, well-seasoned patty splashed with sauces on the griddle, a wrap of thin fried egg, a buttery toasted roll and a mix of mayonnaise, chilli sauce and shredded cabbage.
What is a burger special?
At street stalls, a burger special is the patty wrapped in a thin sheet of fried egg, as in this recipe. A plain burger has no egg wrap.
Can I use chicken instead of beef?
Yes. Use minced chicken thigh and cook the patties for about 3 minutes per side, until cooked through.
How do I stop the egg wrap from tearing?
Pour the egg into a thin round, put the patty on while the top is still runny, and fold only once the underside has set, after about 1 minute.
Is this Malaysian street burger halal?
The recipe is pork-free and lists no alcohol. It is not halal-certified: use halal-certified beef or chicken and check that the Worcestershire, seasoning and chilli sauces are halal-certified, since some sauces contain alcohol.
A Dada Cooking original recipe. Quantities are metric first, with US amounts in brackets.