Curry Lamb Burgers

"Springing ahead" sounds a lot more exciting and energetic than how I felt when we actually turned our clocks ahead this weekend. It probably didn't help any that Saturday night was a late night and Sunday came around before I even got home.

Anyone who knows me knows I never have been (and never will be) a morning person. I like mornings, but I am a bear to wake up. Now that it's dark in the morning, forget about it.

So Sunday "morning" when I finally got up and moving (for the second time), I decided to take advantage of the fact that I was lucky enough to come across ground lamb at the store the day before. Around here, it's a hit or miss thing, and I like to buy it when it's a hit. It's been too long since I had a good lamb burger, and it seemed like the appropriate brunch food (that you eat way past breakfast or lunch).

Ground lamb seasoned with 2 cloves of garlic, 2 tsp coriander,
1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1 1/4 tsp curry - mixed in 1 egg and 1 T breadcrumbs

The pack was slightly more than 1 lb - which became 4 patties

The tzatziki sauce was made from sour cream, cucumber, dill and lemon juice
 - sliced tomato - feta cheese - 

The final burger garnished with slices of cucumber, tomato, lettuce,
onion, feta and tzatziki - side of tots

There is never a bad time for tots. Brunch is as good (or better) than any. I'm pretty sure the tzatziki was also supposed to have garlic and something else, but I couldn't remember what it was. This version turned out pretty good, and I'd more than definitely make it again.

Patak's

If you've ventured into the International aisle in the grocery store, you've probably seen Patak's products in the Indian foods section. I don't have much experience cooking Indian food, so I thought starting with Patak's might be a good intro. For only about $5 you can get a jar of curry sauce, paste, marinades, or other simmer sauces like tikka masala. While I definitely encourage you to eventually venture out and learn to make your own sauces and seasonings, starting with a good pre-made sauce or seasoning is a great way to start exploring a new food category.

Patak's was formed by Lazmishanker Pathak, who eventually dropped the "h" in his last name to make it easier for people to pronounce. He opened his own shop in 1958 and formed the Patak's brand only a few years later, in 1962. While Patak's was originally sold in the UK, it expanded to the US in 1984.

Patak's describes itself as the marinara of Indian food - making Indian cooking as easy as sautéing plus sauce. Most recently, they have teamed up with Aarti Sequeira of Aarti Party.

My first try was with their korma curry sauce, which is a mild coconut sauce. It's easy to use, and makes a quick meal. I cut up chicken, potatoes, green pepper, yellow squash, and added some hot peppers for some kick since I like spice. We ate ours over steamed basmati rice, but you could use pita bread, too. I plan to explore more flavors of the Patak's brand as well as some home made Indian recipes! I'd be glad to hear if you have any tips or suggestions!

P.S. Check the back of the jars for "gluten free"!