Turkish Lamb Pita Burgers

Cooking Instructions

1. Combine bulgur and water in a small bowl; let stand until the water is absorbed and the bulgur is tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain any excess liquid.

2. Meanwhile, heat coriander and cumin seeds in a small skillet over medium heat until they begin to pop and are fragrant and lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Scrape into a small bowl to cool, then crush in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.

3. Combine 2 teaspoons of the spice mixture with yogurt, scallion greens, 2 tablespoons parsley, mint, oregano, lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

4. Combine tomato, red onion and oil in another small bowl.

5. Preheat broiler (see Grilling Variation). Coat a broiler pan with cooking spray.

6. Place the reserved bulgur, the remaining spice mixture, the remaining 2 tablespoons parsley and the remaining 1 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Add lamb, turkey, yellow onion, egg, garlic, cayenne, salt, allspice and cinnamon. Gently combine, without overmixing, until evenly incorporated. Form into 12 equal balls, then form each into an oval patty about 1/2 inch thick.

7. Place the patties on the prepared broiler pan. Broil, turning once, until browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 165°F, 8 to 10 minutes total.

8. Slice open the warmed pita breads. Fill with 2 burgers, about 1/3 cup tomato mixture and 2 generous tablespoons yogurt sauce each.

Grilling Variation: To grill the lamb patties, preheat a grill to medium-high. Oil the grill rack (see Tip). Grill the patties, turning once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 165°F, 8 to 10 minutes total.

Ingredient Notes:

Bulgur is made by parboiling, drying and coarsely grinding or cracking wheat berries. Don’t confuse bulgur with cracked wheat, which is simply that–cracked wheat. Since the parboiling step is skipped, cracked wheat must be cooked for up to an hour whereas bulgur simply needs a quick soak in hot water for most uses. Look for it in the natural-foods section of large supermarkets, near other grains, or online at kalustyans.com, lebaneseproducts.com.

Greek-style yogurt is made by removing the whey from cultured milk. Removing the whey gives it an extra thick and creamy texture–making it the perfect ingredient for a lower-fat dessert topping. You can strain regular yogurt to make it thick like Greek-style yogurt. Line a sieve with cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. (Alternatively, use a coffee filter lined with filter paper.) Spoon in 1 cup nonfat plain yogurt and let it drain in the refrigerator until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 2 hours.

Tip: To oil the grill rack, oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Do not use cooking spray on a hot grill.) When grilling delicate foods like tofu and fish, it is helpful to spray the food with cooking spray.