Thai One On Burgers

Ingredients

2 pounds pre-cooked and peeled medium-sized shrimp
1 cup Japanese Panko bread crumbs (or regular bread crumbs, if Panko is not available)
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, leaves and stems
1 teaspoon ground galangal (or ground ginger, if galangal is not available)
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
One 3" by 4" peeled fresh ginger root
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons T
hai green curry paste
1 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, leaves and stems
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
3 tablespoons chopped peanuts
Vegetable oil, for brushing on grill rack
12 pieces parantha bread (flat Indian bread), or 6 thick pita breads, split

Instructions

Before heating grill, wrap aluminum foil around the grill rack. Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high. To make patties, coarsely chop the shrimp. Place chopped shrimp in a large bowl with the bread crumbs, mayonnaise, lime juice, 3 tablespoons of cilantro, galangal, and white pepper. Grate the fresh ginger root directly into the bowl with a microplane grater. Add the beaten egg to the mixture in the bowl. Combine mixture well with your hands. Shape the mixture into 6 rounded patties. Sprinkle kosher salt onto the patties and chill in the refrigerator for 25 minutes. To make the green curry mayonnaise, add the Thai green curry paste to mayonnaise in a medium bowl. Stir well to combine. Set aside. To make the cilantro, mint and peanut topping, stir the additional 3 tablespoons of chopped cilantro with the chopped mint and peanuts in a small bowl. Set aside. When the grill is ready, brush the foil-covered grill rack with vegetable oil. Remove patties from the refrigerator and place on foil-covered rack. Cover grill and cook, turning patties once, just until done. Cook about 7 minutes on each side, until patties are golden brown and fragrant. To assemble the burgers, place six of the parantha breads down as the bottom buns (or half of a pita bread if using pitas). Place a patty on top of each of the bottom buns. On each patty, spread the green curry mayonnaise. Sprinkle the chopped cilantro, mint and peanut mixture on the green curry mayonnaise. Add the remaining pieces of parantha or pitas as the bun tops and serve immediately. Makes 6 burgers