I’m already drooling thinking about making these again for the Super Bowl.  They are healthy, full of flavor and a party favorite.  I first came up with this recipe last year for a Super Bowl party, and have made them many times since.  They were definitely a hit and are a must have for your party too.

During my earlier years in the United States after I was married, living in New Jersey, our really close friends would host a Super bowl party every year.  One year the girls had the bright idea of playing tag football with the boys before the big game.  Well, all I have to say is it was probably not a good idea.  As much as I enjoyed being in the game itself and being out in the snow, it was not fun trying to get out of bed the next day – I couldn’t move!  Okay so you all are thinking, wow she really must have been out of shape, well I can assure you that was not the case.  During the course of the game, I got sandwiched between two really tough guys, both trying to go for the ball at the same time as me.  I apparently thought I was doing the right thing by running for the football as I saw it spiraling toward me in mid-air.  I was going to catch this damn thing – but wait…  that’s not what happened… SLAM!!!  The next thing I knew I was laying in the snow, on my back wondering what the hell happened!!  Okay, so maybe I have no idea what I am doing on the football field, but who cares… I’m a girl from Africa!  Anyway, this makes for a great story my husband loves to tell.

I guarantee a touchdown applause when you serve my Spicy Cilantro Turkey Sliders.  They are tender, juicy and perfectly spiced.

Ingredients to make the sliders

1 lb ground turkey

1 large egg

1/4 cup dried panko bread crumbs or 1/4 cup ground almonds (for the gluten free version)

1 1/2 teaspoons, heaped of freshly ground garlic

1 tablespoon, heaped of freshly ground ginger

1 tablespoon finely chopped serrano peppers

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

3 teaspoons roughly ground coriander

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds

small pinch of turmeric

1/4 teaspoon black pepper powder

salt to taste

Grapeseed oil for shallow frying

To Make the Sliders

In a bowl combine the above ingredients , besides the oil.

Gently mix until the ingredients are evenly dispersed.  There is nothing worse than getting a clump of any one ingredient when biting into your slider.

Place a generous scoop, about 2 tablespoons of the mixture into your palm and shape into a small patty with your hands.  The patty will be approximately 4 inches wide and about 1/2 inch thick.  Make a slight indentation in the center of the patty with the tips of your fingers.  This prevents the burger from forming into a little mountain, therefore cooking evenly on both sides.  Make the patties and leave aside on a piece of parchment.

Heat two tablespoons of oil in a non-stick frying pan, preferably a ceramic pan.

Gently place the patties into the frying pan.  Fry 4 or 5 patties at a time. (See tips below)

Brown the sliders, about 2 minutes per side.  Be careful not to overcook them.

Remove the sliders and place on a warm plate lightly covered with foil.

Makes approximately 16 sliders.

Item list for assembling the Sliders

1 cup greek yogurt

1 tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro

1 garlic clove, minced finely

a large pinch of coarsely ground black pepper

salt to taste

16 dollar-sized buns (mini buns)

2 tablespoons ghee

1 jalapeño pepper, sliced thinly

ketchup (optional)

mustard (optional)

To Assemble the Sliders

Combine the greek yogurt, cilantro, garlic, pepper and salt in a small bowl.  Set aside.

Slit the buns in half and spread sparingly with ghee. Toast the buns lightly, either in a pan or toaster oven.

To serve, place a warm turkey slider in the center of the bun, dollop with a bit of yogurt sauce.  Garnish with a couple of slices of jalapeños.

Serve warm, with ketchup or mustard, if needed.

• Tips

In-between frying batches of the Turkey Sliders, you may have to wipe the pan clean as the juices will burn and leave an accumulation of black residue, leading to unnecesary smoke.  Simply wipe away with a paper towel, pour in two more tablespoons of oil and continue frying the rest of the delicious, juicy and spicy burgers.

You can substitute the ground turkey for ground chicken in this recipe too.

I have listed ground almonds alongside the breadcrumbs, in this recipe, as a gluten free alternative.  I, too have a gluten intolerance and substitute the breadcrumbs with ground almonds .  I serve the spicy cilantro Turkey sliders alongside a pile of fresh lettuce leaves.  I love the fresh crunch of the lettuce wrap against the moistness of the slider.

I would really love to hear how this recipe worked out for you.  Hopefully, my recipe will help you score a touchdown… or two!!