Chicken satay burgers and a little pep talk

These chicken satay burgers are the flipping bomb. They’re the kind of thing you can make and keep in your freezer for busy work nights. They’ve been a saviour for me in recent years, when I started working outside the home again. Ah, the life of a working single mum.

I once referred to myself a ‘go-getter’  in a conversation with someone I cared about very much but they shut me down and asked, “What did you ever go and get?”

As none of my pursuits were deemed a ‘financial success’ this person questioned my achievements, and made me question my worth. At the time I was heart broken by the careless comment but now I think what-flippin-evs, dude.

If you’re are brave enough to try something, and you get a kick out of it, and make a little cash to float your boat, then you have achieved something. Not doing anything, that’s non-going, nor getting.

As a freelance writer and integrative coach, I get scared sometimes, but it’s mostly when I project too far into the future. I fear the unknown future jungle out there; the imaginary one inhabited by creatures with large teeth waiting to swallow me whole.

When I just get front and centre in my body, in my day, there’s nothing to fear.

Instead, there is day-saving recipes like these chicken satay burgers. Make a double or even triple batch and freeze them for a busy day. Pop one in the lunchbox too; they taste good cold.

If the whole thing looks like a lot of ingredients, you’re right. But it’s well worth it.

Trust me.

I’m a go-getter.

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Another Danielle special to try: Cheat’s cassoulet

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Satay chicken burgers

Makes about 6 burgers
Takes about 30 mins

For the burgers 

• 500g lean chicken mince
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 clove garlic
• 3 teaspoon ground coriander
• 6 coriander roots, finely chopped
• rind of 1 lime
• lemongrass, white part only, bashed and chopped
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

For the satay sauce 

• 1 small red onion
• ⅓ cup peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon shao xing wine
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• juice of one lime
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 tablespoon honey

For salad

• 1 carrot, grated
• ¼ cabbage, finely sliced
• a good handful of chopped coriander
• ¼ cup white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon castor sugar
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon chopped pickled ginger

Plus buns for serving.

Throw all of the burger ingredients into a bowl and mix well with your hands. You cannot really do this any other way. Don’t be scared.

Make the mince mix into burger-sized patties, any size you like. Set aside (covered in the fridge) until you’re ready to cook them. BBQ is always king when it comes to burgers, but on the stove is also good.

Stick all of the satay sauce ingredients into a food processor or a bowl in order to blitz it with a stick blender. You want it to be smooth as a baby’s bottom. Once you’ve blended it, pop it into a saucepan and cook it off until it’s nice and thick. If it gets too thick, you can add a little water or coconut milk.

To make the salad, toss the veges and herbs together. Then put the dressing ingredients into a little bowl and stir well to combine. Add the pickled ginger then toss the lot until all the salad ingredients are covered and you are good to go.

Construct your buns any way you see fit, and chow on down.

Notes

Burger patties will freeze well for about a month.
Keep some burger rolls in the freezer too, ready to go.

Do your kids love chicken satay burgers like mine?