Oolong Bánh mì Burger with Plum Sauce and Pickled Jalapeños and Radishes
Makes 6 burgers
2 cups hot water
4 oolong tea bags
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon neutral oil, divided
1 medium onion, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
7 ounces (about ½ a (14-ounce) package) firm tofu, pressed 15 minutes
½ cup vital wheat gluten (stirred before measuring)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 medium jalapeño, minced
4 fresh prune plums (or purple plums), cut into ½-inch slices
1 tablespoon brown sugar
6 (4-inch) rolls, split and toasted
Pickled Jalapeños and Radishes, recipe below
Cilantro, optional
1. Steep the tea bags in the hot water for 10 minutes. Remove the bags and discard.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onions and cook until caramelized, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet. Add the tofu, crushing it with your hand. Stir and cook until the tofu is dried out and is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add ½ cup of the tea infusion and cook until it evaporates, about 1 minute. Cool the tofu completely.
4 Combine the cooled tofu, cooled onion, gluten, salt, jalapeño and 6 tablespoons of tea infusion in a medium bowl. Knead until gluten strands form, about 4 minutes. Form the mixture into 6 thin patties, about the size of your rolls.
5. Spray a baking sheet with oil, arrange the burgers on a sheet, add ¼ cup water around the burgers, cover tightly with foil and bake in a 300-degree F oven (no need to preheat) for 30 minutes. Uncover, flip the burgers and continue to bake for another 20 minutes.
6. Heat a grill pan over medium heat. Toss the sliced plums with 1 teaspoon oil and grill until tender, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the plums to a large bowl and toss with the brown sugar. Set aside to macerate for 10 minutes. Set aside 6 slices for the burgers and transfer the remaining plums to a personal blender. Blend until smooth. Season to taste with salt.
7. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the burgers until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Add a few tablespoons of sauce to each burger, cook for 1 minute, flip, add more sauce, cook for 1 minute and flip. Cook again for 1 more minute to sear the sauce onto the burgers.
8. Make sandwiches by adding a burger to each roll, a grilled plum slice and plenty of pickled veggies. Add a few sprigs of cilantro, if using.
Pickled Jalapeños and Radishes
8 radishes, sliced thin
2 small carrots, julienned
¼ small onion, sliced thin
¾ cup oolong tea infusion (from the burger recipe above)
¼ cup rice vinegar
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon natural sugar
¾ teaspoon sea salt
1. Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside for at least 15 minutes to pickle. This will keep for up to 3 days in a covered container in the refrigerator.
© 2014 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.