Chow Mein Burger

This may seem like a loose interpretation of my Mofo sandwich theme, but the dish I'm about to show you came from a book dedicated to holiest of all sandwiches — the burger. And even though this sandwich is bun-less, I think the fact that it's a burger means it's still a sandwich. Right?

So I give you the Chow Mein Burger from The Best Veggie Burgers on the Planet by Joni Marie Newman:

Crazy, huh? Oh, yea, crazy good. Let me tell ya about it. The burger patty is made from cooked chow mein noodles, stir-fried broccoli and carrots, cashew butter, cashew pieces, ginger, tofu, and sesame oil. It's all mushed together and fried in oil. Then it's served over steamed cabbage and more noodles. And of course, it's topped with sriracha. OMG! I haven't anything this wickedly delicious in a while!

I must admit, though, I had a little confusion over the "chow mein" part of the recipe. You see, in the eastern half of the U.S., chow mein are those crunchy noodle bits that are used as a topping and not cooked. So I bought those, but then I read the recipe and realized it called for the noodles to be boiled.

I didn't really know there was a regional difference until I Wikipedia-ed "chow mein." Apparently, what we call "lo mein" around here is what West Coast folks call "chow mein." Of course, the "lo mein" that I'm familiar with — those long stringy, flat noodles — is typically made with egg. But I located some egg-free lo mein at the Asian market by my house. Once I had the right noodles, the recipe came together with ease.

This is actually the first thing I've made from Joni's burger book. But holy crap! This full-color book is filled with delicious and totally unique burgers. You'll see plenty more here over the coming weeks.

On a final note, I have two booksignings for Cookin' Crunk this weekend. One is tomorrow (Friday) at Whole Foods from 4 to 7 p.m. And the other is a cooking demo and signing at the Easy Way produce market on Cooper on Saturday at 11 a.m. If you're in town, I hope to see you at one.