Jef-Inspired "Nuyaru" Burger
ぬーやるバーガー·(nu-yaru-ba-ga)
Base Food & The Diaspora Plate
There is a legendary fast-food joint in Okinawa called Jef that took the ultimate homeland comfort dish—goya chanpuru—and stuffed it inside an American sesame seed hamburger bun. In the local dialect, "nu-yaru-ba-ga" roughly translates to "What the heck is this?!" It is the perfect bilingual pun for a perfect sandwich. The fatty, salty umami of pan-fried Spam meets the fluffy comfort of eggs, blanketed in melted American cheese and tangy Kewpie mayo. The bitter melon cuts right through the richness, keeping the whole affair honest. This is an authentic, blue-collar collision of cultures that you can replicate in an Ohio kitchen on a busy Tuesday night in under thirty minutes.
Before you start
Tame the bitter melon.
Place the thinly sliced bitter melon in a bowl, sprinkle with the kosher salt, and aggressively massage it with your hands. Let it sit for at least 10 minutes to draw out the astringent sap. Rinse thoroughly under cold water, then squeeze as hard as you can to wring out all the excess liquid.
Ingredients
- bitter melon1/4 med
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
- eggs2 large
- black pepper1/8 tsp
- Spam4 oz
- neutral cooking oil1 tsp
- sesame seed hamburger buns2 med
- American cheese2 med
- Kewpie mayonnaise2 tbsp
- yellow mustard1 tsp
Method
- 01
Fry the Spam.
Place a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and fry the Spam slices until they develop a deeply browned, crispy crust on both sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove the Spam and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the skillet.
- 02
Toast the buns.
While the pan is still hot, drop the hamburger buns face-down into the residual pork fat. Toast for 30 seconds until golden brown, then remove and set aside.
- 03
Sauté the bitter melon.
Lower the heat to medium and add the neutral oil to the skillet. Toss in the squeezed bitter melon slices and sauté for about 1 minute until they soften slightly.
- 04
Make the folded omelet.
Pour the beaten eggs directly over the bitter melon. As the egg sets, use a spatula to gently push the edges inward, folding it into a rough square that will fit inside your buns. Once cooked through but still soft, cut the omelet in half so you have one portion for each burger.
- 05
Assemble the burgers.
Spread a thin layer of yellow mustard on the bottom buns, followed by the crispy Spam, the hot goya omelet, and a slice of American cheese to melt. Slather the top buns generously with Kewpie mayonnaise, close the burgers, and eat immediately.
Notes
Do not substitute the Kewpie mayonnaise.
Standard Western mayonnaise lacks the required tang and MSG to chemically balance the bitter melon. The Kewpie is non-negotiable.
No ring mold required.
Restaurant versions use a metal ring to cook the egg perfectly round. For a weeknight at home, simply folding the egg edges inward with a spatula works perfectly and saves you from washing extra equipment.
From Cook Okinawan in America.