My glorious and appreciative Citizenry of TFD Nation – hasten and attend, for today I share a recipe of unique provenance as well as unspeakable savor and also a gustatory apotheosis to your taste buds! Whilst Americans may have a pure and zealous zeal for the mighty smash burger, I will now argue that it MAY have reached its ultimate fusion form in today’s viral sensation from the world financial capital of Dubai in the UAE – today, I share with you the mighty Dubai paratha smash burger!
Smash burgers are – for those unfamiliar with its magnificence – is a type of hamburger in which a ball of ground beef is pressed firmly onto a hot griddle or skillet, creating a thin patty with crisp edges and a browned surface. The technique maximizes the Maillard reaction, producing a savory crust while keeping the interior juicy.
The patties are typically cooked quickly, within 90 to 180 seconds, and often served in double or triple stacks. High-fat beef (typically 70–80% lean) is recommended, and the smash should occur once, early in cooking, to avoid pressing out juices. Smash burgers are made by placing a ball of ground beef, commonly around 3-5 oz. in weight, onto a hot flat-top grill and pressing it flat with a spatula or burger press. The goal is to maximize surface contact, which increases browning.
Variations in thickness exist: some restaurants serve extremely thin patties stacked in multiples, while others prepare slightly thicker versions. The ideal fat content is around 30% for moisture retention and flavor. Buns vary regionally, with brioche common in the UK, and potato rolls and milk rolls preferred in the U.S. – and in Dubai, they are now WILD over using fried Indian paratha bread as the bun of choice (more on that soon).
The origins of the smash burger are debated. Food historian George Motz argues that some of the earliest American hamburgers, sold at fairs and factories in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, were thin patties pressed into pans for speed. Others trace the style to the Great Depression, when smashing ground beef was a way to stretch portions cheaply (TFD ascribes to this theory).
A widely cited story credits Dairy Cheer, a diner in Ashland, Kentucky, where in the 1960s a cook reportedly used a bean can to press beef balls onto the griddle, creating the crisp, thin patty that became known as a smash burger. Miner-Dunn, a restaurant in Indiana, has also claimed continuous service of smash burgers since the 1930s.
The cooking style was long associated with diners and chains such as Steak ‘n Shake. It gained renewed attention in the 2000s and 2010s through U.S. fast-casual chains including Shake Shack and SmashBurger. By the early 2020s, independent restaurants and food critics noted a significant rise in global popularity. In the United Kingdom, some restaurants had specialized in the format before 2020, but the trend expanded rapidly after 2022. National supermarket chains such as Waitrose and Aldi also introduced smash burger products.
By the 2020s, the smash burger was frequently described as the “it” burger of the decade. Analysts and restaurateurs cite its appeal as fast, cost-effective to produce, and well-suited for casual dining menus. This in contrast with the thick, gourmet-style “bistro burger” popular in the 2000s and 2010s. The “Oklahoma onion burger”, also called an “Okie burger,” is a regional style in which a wad of thinly sliced onions is smashed into the patty as it cooks, producing caramelized onion shards within the burger.
Other variations include the mustard-fried smash patty, credited to In-N-Out Burger, in which mustard is spread on one side of the beef before grilling, and regional adaptations such as Wisconsin butter burgers and Memphis deep-fried patties at Dyer’s Burgers.
As to the magnificence that is the Dubai paratha smash burger, notoriousfoodie.substack.com has this to say on its origins:
Having grown up in Dubai, I’ve seen and tried so many of the wildest food creations coming out of the region. I’m sure you’ve all heard of the viral Dubai Chocolate, but have you heard of the Dubai paratha smash burger?
This buttery, flakey burger originates from a homegrown shop called Klay that specialises in two things: paratha and karak chai.
They make really solid paratha here but it is their paratha smash that has people queuing up for hours to try it. It features two smashed beef patties, American cheese, caramelised onions and a sort of dynamite-style burger sauce, all sandwiched between an ultra flakey, glistening, toasted paratha bun.
It sounds a little crazy, but let me tell you, after having this for the first time the other day, it’s an incredible thing.
To say that Dubai paratha smash burgers have gone viral across social media is a HUGE understatement – and now, I, the Sultan of Spice, the Emir of Authenticity, the Sheikh of Sharing, shall see fit to grace the food scene with the FINEST version of this recipe.
My own, of course! 😀
Paratha bread as a bun is GENIUS – it adds oiliness, crunch, softness, and flakiness all in equal measure to the final burger that no standard bun can ever provide! Parathas are available frozen in Indian grocery stores and in some Trader Joe’s as well – but NOTHING beats making them fresh! They’re not hard to make and the recipe is included in the post. You will need ghee to make these properly, and you can certainly use regular old cow milk ghee (this is a great brand), but since the recipe is from the UAE, try using CAMEL MILK ghee for true authenticity – buy it from here.
What really separates Dubai paratha smash burgers from their American counterpart is the inclusion of a Middle Eastern spice blend in the meat – I have chosen to adapt the classic Dubai spice blend known as bezar into more of a classic burger seasoning akin to what is seen in the United States. I do call for some Knorr Aromat seasoning blend instead of salt as it adds far more umami – I also call for a hint of MSG (aka Accent seasoning) to really make the flavors pop! I have chosen to include the classic caramelized onion garnish in My recipe, as to me they are simply de rigeur in ANY smash burger and Dubai completely agrees!
The Dubai paratha smash burger also has the excellent taste to use American cheese for its proper melt and foundational flavor profile – I use Velveeta. Instead of ketchup, this version typically uses a more Middle Eastern sauce, which I have chosen carefully out of many options. In the end, I decided The Hirshon Sauce Algérienne as a condiment was the most ideal and serendipitous match with the burger. If you MUST, you can use Thousand Island dressing instead. Garnish with the optional lettuce, tomato, pickle, and raw onion and you have one HELL of a good meal!
Please try My ULTIMATE Dubai paratha smash burgers without further delay, Citizens! Are they a pain to make? Maybe. You can always shortcut the parathas (the only really involved part) by using frozen, if you are so inclined. The rest is simplicity itself! 😀
Battle on – the Generalissimo
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The Hirshon ULTIMATE Dubai Paratha Smash Burger – دبي باراثا سماش برجر
Ingredients
- 8 oz. 70:30 ground beef
- ***
- 3 tsp. (or to taste) Hirshon Dubai bezar spice blend for burgers, made from:
- ⅛ cup coriander seeds, dry-toasted in a skillet until fragrant
- ⅛ cup cumin seeds, dry-toasted in a skillet until fragrant
- ⅛ cup fennel seeds, dry-toasted in a skillet until fragrant
- ⅛ cup fenugreek seeds, dry-toasted in a skillet until fragrant
- ⅛ cup turmeric powder
- 1 ¼ tsp. chipotle powder
- ½ tsp. Ceylon cinnamon
- ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, dry-toasted in a skillet until fragrant
- ½ tsp. Knorr Aromat
- ½ tsp. Accent seasoning
- ½ tsp. smoked paprika
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- ½ tsp. onion powder
- ***
- Parathas, made from (2 parathas per burger):
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 ¾ tsp. kosher salt
- 1 Tbsp. neutral oil, such as canola, plus more as needed
- 1 cup warm water
- ¾ cup ghee
- ***
- Ghee, for cooking
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- Velveeta Cheese slices, for topping each smash burger
- bibb lettuce, one slice (optional)
- heirloom tomato, one thin slice (optional)
- one thin complete slice of raw onion (you can use sweet onion if you prefer) (optional)
- two small bread and butter pickle chips (optional)
- The Hirshon Sauce Algérienne as a condiment
Get Recipe Ingredients Instructions
- MAKE THE SPICE BLEND: blend all the whole spices in a spice grinder. Combine with the powdered spices. Measure out your desired amount of spice blend and combine with the beef.
- Measure the beef into 3 oz. balls and reserve them in the fridge.
- ROLL AND ASSEMBLE THE PARATHA: turn the dough out onto a work surface and divide into 8 pieces. Dust a work surface and rolling pin very lightly with all-purpose flour. Roll and fill the dough out 1 portion at a time, keeping the remaining portions covered with plastic wrap.
- Place on the work surface and roll out into a super-thin round about 14 inches wide (it does not have to be perfectly round). The dough should be so thin that you can begin to just faintly see the work surface through it.
- Use your fingers to spread 1 tablespoon of the ghee evenly over the dough. Sprinkle 1 to 2 pinches flour over the ghee to help provide definition between the layers.
- Starting at the bottom, roll the dough tightly up into a log. Starting at one end, coil the log up into a round to resemble a cinnamon roll. Cover with plastic wrap while you roll and fill the remaining portions of dough. Let rest for 15 minutes.
- Working with 1 piece at a time and keeping the rest covered with plastic wrap, roll out the paratha into a round about 1/8-inch thick and 6 to 7-inches wide.
- Use a cup or cookie cutter to cut out bun-sized rounds 2 per smash burger. Keep on baking paper to prevent sticking. You’ll have more dough than you need for this recipe, just keep them uncut, fry them up and serve them on the side!
- Transfer to a plate and repeat rolling out the remaining paratha. If stacking the paratha, place parchment or wax paper between each to prevent sticking.
- COOK THE PARATHA: heat a medium nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Add 1 paratha and cook until the surface is beginning to turn opaque (with no browning), 2 to 3 minutes. It’s okay if it’s not totally opaque. Flip and cook until the surface of the second side is totally opaque (but not brown), 2 to 3 minutes. Flip once more and continue to cook until opaque, about 1 minute more.
- Add ½ Tbsp. ghee to the pan. Move the paratha around, flipping as needed, until coated in ghee. Continue to cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side.
- Transfer to a plate and repeat cooking the remaining paratha, reducing the heat as needed if the parathas are browning too quickly to ensure that the centers are cooked.
- Reserve them.
- Complete the smash burgers: Cook the sliced onions in a pan with ghee over medium heat until soft and caramelized. Heat more ghee in another non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Smash patties flat and cook for 3–5 minutes per side until browned and cooked through. Add cheese slice to each burger in the last minute to melt.
- Assemble your burgers: Place a patty (or two for a stacked version) between the crispy paratha buns, add caramelized onions and other toppings as you see fit. Coat one paratha bun with Hirshon Sauce Algérienne and, if desired, more Hirshon burger bezar spice. Serve immediately while hot.
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