Japanese Bird’s Nest Hamburger Steaks

Steps

1. 1

   Finely chop the onion. Mix the breadcrumbs with the milk and let stand for several minutes so the breadcrumbs can fully absorb the milk.

2. 2

   Add the ground meat, soaked breadcrumbs, onion, and one egg to a bowl, then season with salt and black pepper. Mix with your hands or a spatula until evenly combined and the mixture becomes sticky.

3. 3

   Divide the mixture into two portions. Place each portion on a sheet of parchment paper and shape it into a thick, round hamburger steak. Press from the center outward with your fingers to create a deep bird’s nest-shaped well. The well should be deep enough to hold the filling and prevent it from spilling out during steaming.

4. 4

   Place the tomato, cheese, or additional egg into the well in the center of each hamburger steak. Choose the fillings according to your preference, or combine them. If using eggs, crack them in gently to avoid breaking the yolks.

5. 5

   Wrap the hamburger steaks in the parchment paper or fold it into a simple pouch, keeping the ingredients contained. Do not wrap them too tightly; leave room for steam to circulate.

6. 6

   Place the wrapped hamburger steaks in a lidded skillet and add about 0.5 cup of water around the edge of the skillet. The water should cover only the bottom of the skillet and should not submerge the parchment paper or hamburger steaks.

7. 7

   Cover the skillet and heat over medium heat until the water begins to boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and steam for about 15 to 20 minutes. The steam produced by the water in the skillet will cook the hamburger steaks and their fillings together. Maintain steam in the skillet throughout cooking.

   Start 20-minute timer
8. 8

   Remove the lid and check that the center of the meat is fully cooked. The center of the ground meat should no longer be pink; if using a meat thermometer, it should reach about 71°C (160 °F). Steam the eggs to your preferred level of doneness, from soft-cooked to fully set. If the centers are not yet cooked, cover the skillet again and steam for several more minutes.

9. 9

   Carefully remove the parchment pouches, taking care to avoid steam burns. Transfer the bird’s nest hamburger steaks to plates with the tomatoes, melted cheese, or eggs, and serve hot.