Boracay Chori Burger

Method

1. Choose fresh raw chorizo or longganisa, not hard dry-cured Spanish sausage. Remove the casings. Divide into four portions and flatten between pieces of baking paper into patties a little wider than the buns and about 1 cm thick.
2. Mix banana ketchup, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and water in a small saucepan. Simmer gently for 2 minutes, stirring, until glossy but still brushable. Taste after cooling a drop; the sausage is already seasoned, so the glaze should not be heavily salted.
3. Heat a heavy frying pan or grill pan over medium heat and brush with the oil. Peel off the paper and add the patties. Cook for 4–5 minutes without pressing out their juices. Reduce the heat if their sugar-rich surface begins to blacken.
4. Turn the patties and cook another 4–5 minutes, then check the centres reach 71°C. A dark crust is not proof of cooked ground pork. Thicker patties may need a short covered finish on lower heat; do not leave the centre pink and cool.
5. Brush a thin film of glaze over each cooked patty. Turn for only 15–20 seconds to set it, then brush the other side and remove. Sugar burns quickly, so the glaze belongs at the end rather than throughout cooking.
6. Split the buns and toast the cut sides in a clean pan for 1–2 minutes. Add a little extra glaze, a patty and the onion; use the optional lettuce as a crisp contrast. Keep toppings restrained so the chorizo remains the main flavour.
7. Serve immediately. Keep uncooked patties refrigerated until needed. Refrigerate cooked leftovers within 2 hours and use within 3 days, reheating to 74°C before assembling a fresh burger. Store buns separately so they do not become wet.