family

Pork Banh Mi Burger with Garlic & Chilli Skinny Fries

February 21

There is often a misconception that LA is all green juices and salad bowls or high end swanky restaurants with valet and velvet ropes. While yes, those spots exist, the beating heart of the food scene in the sprawling city was in little strip mall diners, cafe’s and casual dining restaurants. One of favourites was the now closed Good Girl Dinette in Highland Park. It’s chef and owner Diep Tran served up bowls of pho with bone marrow, savoury Viet porridges, banh mi sandwiches and some of the most amazing fries tossed in chilli, garlic and coriander. The Pork Banh Mi Burger recipe I share here is an ode to that brilliant little diner and makes for a great treat Friday supper for the family.

Serves 4
50mins

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°c/ fan 180°c.
2. Mix the mince with the garlic, hoisin, soy, fish sauce and spring onions in a large bowl. Mash together with your hands and shape into 4 patties.
3. Put the potato fries in a pan of cold salted water, bring to the boil and simmer for 1-2 minutes then drain and dry in the pan over a low heat.
4. Tip the fries onto a large roasting tin and toss with the oil. Cook for 40 minutes, turning once or twice, until golden brown.
5. Meanwhile, put the cucumber and carrot in a bowl. Heat the rice vinegar with the water, sugar and star anise in a pan. When the sugar is melted, pour the hot mix over the veg and toss well.
6. Heat an ovenproof heavy based pan over a medium high heat. Rub the burgers with oil and sear for 1-2 minutes on each side until browned then pop the pan in the oven for 4-5 minutes until just cooked.
7. Toast the burger buns in the oven, keeping an eye as to not burn them.
8. Mix the mayo and sriracha together, put a dollop into the pickled slaw and toss well. Spread a little over the base of the burger buns. Top with a patty, some slaw and the burger bun lid. Leave some sriracha mayo aside for dipping your fries.
9. Toss the fries in garlic salt and chilli flakes and serve with the burgers, the rest of the slaw and spicy mayo.

1lbs pork mince

1 clove garlic, grated

1 tbsp hoisin

1 tbsp soy sauce

2 tsp fish sauce

4 spring onions, very finely chopped

1 tbsp vegetable oil

4 brioche burger buns

4 tbsp mayonnaise

1-2 tbsp Sriracha

For the fries:

1.7lbs floury potatoes, peeled and cut into thin sticks

Salt, for the boiling water

2-3 tbsp vegetable oil

Garlic salt and Chilli flakes to serve

For the pickled slaw:

1 cucumber, peeled, deseeded and finely chopped

2 carrots, julienned

3 tbsp rice vinegar

1 tbsp water

1 tbsp caster sugar

1 star anise

Handful of coriander leaves

500g pork mince