Thai Red Curry Shrimp Burger with Blueberry Chutney
This Thai Red Curry Shrimp Burger delivers a unique twist on the classic seafood burger. Enjoy juicy shrimp blended with aromatic Thai red curry paste, creating a perfect harmony of spice and savory flavors.
One of favorite ways to use Thai red curry paste is with shrimp. That delicious Thai red curry with coconut milk added to it to make a sauce is absolutely delicious. To me, it’s a comfort food. All the creamy flavors, spices, and bit of heat are flavors we had growing up. That is as soon as we found the S&B curry bricks. Which I know it not the same as Thai curry.
I knew this shrimp burger had to be a recipe I made while the hubs was working. There are just some ideas and recipes that I know he’s not going to enjoy at all. He looks at me like I’m a loon, shakes his head, and walks off thinking I’m stark raving mad. But for me, this all sounded delicious!! Doesn’t it sound delicious to you?
Celebrating Thai National Day
Every December 5th, Thailand comes alive with vibrant celebrations in honor of Thai National Day. This special occasion is more than just a holiday. It’s a salute to the nation’s rich history, unity, and beloved King Bhumibol Adulyadej. And what better way to join the festivities than through Thai cuisine?
Food is the heart of Thai culture. Every dish tells a story, brings people together, and celebrates the country’s diversity. Today, let’s celebrate by crafting a Thai red curry shrimp burger, topped with a bright blueberry chutney. It’s a dish that captures the spirit of Thailand while inviting you to explore creative, bold flavors at home.
What Is Thai Red Curry?
Thai red curry is a cornerstone of Thai cooking. It’s cherished for its bold, aromatic flavors and eye-catching color. The backbone of red curry is a paste made from red chili peppers, garlic, shallots, lemongrass, galangal (a relative of ginger), kaffir lime leaves, and shrimp paste.
Coconut milk gives red curry its creamy richness, while fish sauce and a hint of sugar balance the heat with salty and sweet notes. The result is a fragrant, spicy-sweet curry that is both comforting and exciting. Historically, Thai red curry has evolved from royal palace fare to a beloved home-cooked dish. Families have adapted their recipe to include local ingredients and tastes through the generations.
Red, Green, Yellow, and Indian Curries—What Sets Them Apart?
Thai red curry isn’t the only star in the curry universe. Thai green curry uses green chilies and fresh herbs for a greener, more herbal profile and a sharper heat. Yellow curry is milder, combining turmeric, cumin, and coriander with coconut milk for a warm, mellow flavor.
Indian curries, on the other hand, often rely on a dry spice blend made with cumin, coriander, garam masala, and mustard seeds. They may include cream, yogurt, or tomato instead of coconut milk. All these curries share comforting spices and rich sauces. However, Thai red curry stands out for its vibrant color, creamy texture, and a unique balance of sweet, salty, and spicy.
The Inspiration Behind the Flavor Fusion
Technically, this inspiration was part of a burger making challenge. Sort of like a mystery box challenge. There’s a list of ingredients you can choose from to make your burger. This burger had to include blueberries, coconut, shallots, and cayenne. In my head fruit and shallots equals chutney. And, well, chutney equals curry.
With the cayenne I knew it had to be a red curry. So, Thai red curry it is! Now, I don’t know about you, but I usually only make Thai red curry with chicken or shrimp. And, well I already made a chicken burger, so why not a shrimp burger? That’s how my brain works and how I was inspired to create this Thai shrimp curry burger with blueberry chutney.
Tips for Creating a Succulent Shrimp Burger
While fresh shrimp are best, I can usually only get frozen shrimp. But I always opt for the larger shrimp that are wild caught. If they’re not already peeled and deveined, then I do that while prepping the rest of the ingredients for the burger. Try to keep your ingredients cold to help with binding and keep the shrimp burgers juicy.
As with all burgers, don’t over process the mince. Pulse carefully until the shrimp are a coarse chop. And make sure to fold your ingredients together to prevent over mixing. These burgers have both the red curry paste for flavor and coconut milk to add flavor and keep them moist. Finally, cook the burgers over medium heat for even browning and moist burgers.
Ingredients to make this Thai red curry shrimp burger
You might not have the Thai red curry paste or coconut milk, but everything else is pretty common. At least for my pantry.
Pantry ingredients – breadcrumbs, coconut milk, Thai curry sauce, garlic, shallots, cardamom, cinnamon, allspice, burger buns
Refrigerator ingredients – shrimp, green onions, fresh ginger, blueberries (I used frozen)
Steps to make the shrimp burgers
Pat the shrimp dry, then pulse in a food processor to a chunky consistency. I pulsed mine for about 7 times and then transferred the mince to a chilled bowl. In a separate bowl,, combine the Thai red curry paste with the breadcrumbs, coconut milk, green onions, ginger, and garlic. Pour the breadcrumb mixture into the chilled shrimp mince and fold to combine. Form into 4 even patties. Place on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and chill for at least 20 minutes to firm up.
When you’re ready to cook the burgers, heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook patties 5 to 7 minutes per side depending on the thickness of your burgers. Cooked the burgers until golden and cooked through. Place each burger on a toasted brioche bun and spread with a little of the blueberry chutney on top before serving.
Make the blueberry chutney topping
Heat a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add olive oil to the saucepan and sauté the garlic and shallots until fragrant. Stir in fresh ginger, spices, blueberries, and coconut milk. Bring it to a boil and simmer until thickened. For me, it took 30 minutes or so to thicken enough to use a burger topping.
Why this Thai red curry shrimp burger with blueberry chutney works
This burger is all about contrast and harmony. The spicy, aromatic Thai red curry shrimp patty finds its match in the sweet-tart blueberry chutney. The sweetness and flavor of the blueberries in the chutney brings out the sweetness of the shrimp in the burger. The spices and shallots add a savory flavor to the chutney. They also bring an earthiness that pairs with the curry spices.
That is one juicy looking burger. It’s sitting on top of a brioche bun. I didn’t add any toppings to the burger. Feel free to add your choice of veggies to your burger. I was thinking a green onion slaw might be good, but nothing too powerful. Or maybe some crispy fried shallots on top would be good, too.
What does this Thai curry burger taste like?
The shrimp are tender and sweet. The spices from the Thai red curry sauce are definitely there! You can taste them. You can’t taste the coconut milk per se but you can taste the rich, creaminess it brings to this shrimp burger. These Thai red curry shrimp burgers are simply scrumptious. That’s all you need to know.
There you have it. This shrimp burger is a festive, inventive dish to make Thai National Day extra special. Packed with flavor, color, and a little creative adventure, this Thai red curry shrimp burger with blueberry chutney is sure to wow your guests and spark conversation. Happy cooking and happy Thai National Day!
Thai Red Curry Shrimp Burger with Blueberry Chutney
Thai Red Curry Shrimp Burger with Blueberry Chutney, as you can imagine, is packed with flavors! From the red curry sauce, the coconut milk, and cayenne in the burger to the blueberry sweet and savory chutney on top. It’s a packed mouthful of burger happiness.
Ingredients
For the burgers:
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled and cleaned
- 1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons coconut milk
- 3 tablespoons Thai red curry sauce
- 1/4 cup sliced green onions
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon grated garlic
For the chutney:
- 1/2 cup diced shallots
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon each ground cardamom, cinnamon, allspice
- 3 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 4 brioche hamburger buns
Instructions
For the burgers:
- Place the shrimp in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Do not over process as the shrimp will become a paste. I pulsed mine about 7 times to get a good consistency.
- Mix the bread crumbs with the next 5 ingredients (coconut milk through garlic). Fold in the shrimp until all ingredients are combined.
- Form into four patties. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you’re ready to cook the burgers.
For the chutney:
- Heat a saucepan over medium-high heat and sauté the shallots and garlic until fragrant; about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and continue cooking until thickened; about 30 minutes to an hour.
Assemble the burgers:
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to coat the bottom of the pan and add the shrimp burgers. Cook 5 to 7 minutes per side depending on the thickness of your burgers. The burgers should be pink throughout and have a golden-brown color to the edges.
- Place each burger on a lightly toasted brioche burger bun. Spread about 1 to 2 tablespoons of chutney over each burger and serve.
Celebrate Thai National Day!
Celebrate Thai National Day!
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I can’t imagine why anyone would turn their nose up to this amazing sounding burger! I can’t wait to try it!
Right? I loved trying to make a shrimp burger. So much flavor in there.