JAPANESE CRISPY CALAMARI BURGER

A delicious Japanese-style crispy calamari burger served with Hellmann’s Mayonnaise mixed with Yuzu Kosho and slaw. Yuzu Kosho paste is a Japanese condiment made from fresh chillies which are then fermented with salt and yuzu juice and zest. You’ll need to go to a large Asian supermarket or Japanese speciality store to find this, Daikon and Katsu sauce, but you’ll be glad you made the effort!

Left over mayo will keep in the fridge and is perfect to serve with fish or fried foods.

Recipe Serves: 6 | Prep Time: 20 minutes + pickling | Cook Time: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Slaw

1 cup pickled daikon, cut into matchsticks

1 cup white cabbage, finely sliced

2 spring onion, trimmed and finely sliced on the diagonal

Yuzu Kosho Mayonnaise

1 ½ cups Hellmann’s Real Mayonnaise

1 ½ tsp Yuzu Kosho Paste

Calamari

500g baby squid tubes and tentacles, cut into 1cm rings, cleaned

100g rice flour

200g panko breadcrumbs

2 eggs, lightly beaten

Salt and pepper, to taste

Vegetable oil, to fry

To serve

6 sesame seed buns

2 tbs katsu sauce

1 lemon, cut into 6 wedges

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER:

 1.     To make your spiced Hellmann’s Mayonnaise, whisk together the mayonnaise and Yuzu Kosho Paste in a small bowl until combined. This mixture will give the burger a delicious tangy but creamy sauce that works well with the crispy calamari and fresh slaw.

2.     Put together your slaw by combining all the slaw ingredients in a large bowl, tossing well and coating with the Yuzu Kosho mayonnaise (saving some to serve).

3.     To make the crumbed calamari, place flour, breadcrumbs and egg in separate shallow bowls. Season your flour with salt and pepper. Pass calamari through the flour mix, dusting in a light even coating; removing any excess. Then dredge this through egg, and dip in bread crumbs coating well. Place on a lined tray ready to cook.

4.     Fill a bench top deep fryer or large pot a third full with vegetable oil. Heat gradually to 180 degrees C.

5.     Cook the calamari in batches for three minutes or until crisp and golden. Once cooked, move onto a paper towel lined tray with a slotted spoon. Season well with salt.

6.     To assemble the burger, butter the bottom of the bun with katsu sauce and mayo mix, followed by a serving of the slaw and topped with crispy calamari. Serve with a wedge of lemon and more of that amazing finger-licking Yuzu Kosho mayonnaise.