Baba G’s – Paneer Saag Burger DIY

I am not a vegetarian, but our site has the name cheese in it so when we heard the Million Pound Menu winners Baba G’s had a DIY kit for their paneer burger, we had to try.   If I wasn’t able to eat meat again, this would be a decent occasional replacement as you the flavours are really incredible, but it didn’t really make me thing I was having a cheeseburger as much as a spicy Indian cheese sandwich.  A delicious Indian cheese sandwich but just not burger enough for me to race back for another one

The Bun: 15/20

I was sceptical when I saw how big these brioche buns were and the blackened sesame seeds on top.  But after a light toasting the bread really had a rich, buttery flavour and I didn’t really notice the sesame seeds.  The seeds do get everywhere though, and the bun was a little too big for the paneer blocks so could have been improved.

The Toppings: 8/10

Three toppings were included in the kit.  The first was a red salad, a sort of relish/coleslaw hybrid that you mixed with lime juice (included) and masala spice to your own taste.  Made for a really nice base.  The other was an onion bhaji that you baked for 10 min before topping the burger with.  Very favourable but the sizes and shapes of the bhajis in the kit were wildly inconsistent.  And having to cook a topping just added a little complexity to timing.  Last item was a green chilli pickle that added the real heat to the burger along with a decent pickled flavour.  Hot, but not nuclear. The bhaji and the chilli pickle did overpower the first one I tried, but when I went a little lighter on both for #2 the ratio of flavours was really good. 

The Condiments: 9/10

A really interesting mix of sauces.  I lived in the West Indies for a few years so developed a love for mangos, and the delicious mango ketchup added a lovely sweet taste to cut through the strong spices of other ingredients.  The Tamarind sauce has a slightly tangier sweetness and complimented the bahjia perfectly. And rounding it out was the mint riatha, which took over the mayonnaise role and provided a cooling effect as well as a creaminess. We played with the levels a little and everyone eventually found a combination of these three that really made it work for them.   

The Cheese: 12/20

Hmmm…how do you score this section when the patty is the cheese? I’ll split the points between them and comment below.

The Patty: 12/20

I do like halloumi burgers and paneer is similar, especially in its texture.  The paneer blocks that come in the kit are coated in spice so tough to compare taste directly.  They need to be fried in oil so a little more work than a regular burger, and the saag (greens cooked with spices) that goes between the slices also needed to be warmed up.   I did eat one on its own and it was good, but they just got a little lost in the burger overall…both in terms of size and flavour.  The buns are huge and some of the bhajis were really big, so the little paneer/saag/paneer stack was missing from a few bites and you had to concentrate to detect the flavour in the middle. I couldn’t detect the saag at all so not sure what it added.   We tried a burger where we put the blocks side by side and the saag on top, and it helped fill the bun, but tempered the paneer flavour overall.  Baba G’s certainly mixed up the status quo with this one!

The Taste: 15/20

Actually, really delicious. The mix of mango, tamarind, onion, masala, lime, mint, yogurt, etc all balanced out very well.  It’s just that they were all a little too strong for the paneer and saag. I am sure a lamb patty added to the mix would make this all work perfectly so no wonder that is what made Baba G’s famous.  

Our Verdict: 71/100

A yummy supper, but it didn’t satisfy my Saturday cheeseburger craving.   It won’t be a frequent stop, but it is a clever mix of the American burger concept and Indian ingredients though. When those times arise where you want something a little more interesting that mustard and ketchup, head to Baba G’s. You should check out the Lamb Jalfrezi from Baba G’s review also