A Lucy Waverman food dish photographed in Toronto, Ontario on July 3, 2014. Three types of burgers, Malaysian, at left with lettuce; Peruvian, centre, with egg and roasted pepper; and Korean, topped with kimchi, top.Peter Power/The Globe and Mail
Who doesn't like to bite into a juicy burger just off the grill? But we all need a change once in a while.
Here, I spice up regular burgers with different flavour profiles.
Gochujang is Korean red chili paste made with powdered sticky rice, fermented soybeans and salt. It is thick and mellow and not as spicy as Chinese or Thai pastes. Typically used in Korean cooking, dark soy sauce is aged and has molasses added, giving it a full-bodied flavour. If it's not available, you can use light. I bought frozen steamed buns in Chinatown and steamed them.
Thanks to immigration over the centuries, Peruvian cuisine features Eastern, Western and Inca influences. A cuisine to savour.
I love the tangle of flavours in Malaysian cooking. Influenced by both Asian and Indian cultures, it is true fusion food.
Lucy Waverman