Sandwich Of The Week: Badmaash's Spiced Lamb Burger
Opened in Downtown Los Angeles in 2013 by father-and-son team Pawan and Nakul Mahendro, Badmaash serves Indian small plates with modern, creative twists, particularly popular street foods and snacks from Mumbai. There are dishes like crispy tamarind-glazed pork belly and chicken tikka poutine, but the real star of the menu is their spiced lamb burger.
Nakul Mahendro explained just how integral the spicy lamb burger is to Badmaash, saying, "We couldn't have opened Badmaash without the spiced lamb burger — it was one of the foundation items on our menu." A lot of time and care went into sourcing the ingredients, too, as the Badmaash team "spent six months looking for the perfect bun and almost gave up... We also spent weeks looking for someone to send us spices from India, grinding and roasting them ourselves; tweaking our masala mixes. [We] went through a dozen types of mayonnaises, played around with slaws and greens for crunch, tried every kind of cheese before settling on no cheese, and on and on." The recipe comes from growing up Indian in Toronto when Nakul and his brother, at the urging of their uncle, tried traditionally spiced Indian lamb kabab on hamburger buns — and the rest, as they say, is history.
To begin making Badmaash's modern version, chef Pawan Mahendro coarsely grinds free-range lamb legs in-house, then spices the patty with green chilies, mint, cilantro, ginger, and garlic. Toppings include sliced red onion, tomato, and paprika mayo. The bread is a soft brioche bun that's sturdy enough to hold up to the ingredients, sourced from local artisan bakery, BREADBAR. The extensive amount of thought and dedication that the Mahendros have put into the burger is evident in each bite, and that's why it's this week's Sandwich of the Week.
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