Along the Idea of Fried Masa Cake with Meat Patty cooked into the Middle...?

While I know nothing about the ramen burger (NY creation), I think you are on to something here. With a little of Bubbah Mac's SC Mustard Barbeque Sauce for dipping and I think you have a winner!

I finally made my idea! I seared and cooked slider-size 2 1/2" W meat patties from a curry meatloaf recipe I've been developing. I made masarepa from instant masarepa flour, salt, rich chicken stock, butter, egg yolks, minced shallot and grated pepper jack cheese. I made a 1/3" thick masa patty, placed the meat patty on it, topped w/ another masa patty, sealed all the edges and smoothed the masa shell and shape. In bacon fat and canola oil, I seared and cooked the 'masa burgers' and then finished them in a 350 oven for 15 minutes. When you cut one in half, its a thin masa shell w/ a burger in the middle. Loved it. Also can put cheese on top of the patty before wrapping it in masa; this will create a layer of melted cheese. I also liked it w/ a thicker masa shell.

So, watch out Ramen Burger! Masa Burger is comin' through!!

The lime here is calcium hydroxide, an alkali, not the acidic fruit. The process does change the flavor profile slightly and enhances it significantly, but it's more about nutrition and elasticity of the dough.

I have only used masa harina (successfully) in making tamales. I, sadly, have yet to master corn tortillas despite how easy everyone says they are! So I can only speak to arepa flour in its fried patty form and can say it holds together really well. I love how quick they are to make and we usually will saute some onions and peppers and fold that into the dough. You can also use just about any liquid so we sometimes use broth or a combo of broth and water. The dough is really easy to work, thus easy to stuff. One of our favorite summer dishes is to stuff them with cheese and fry them, then serve grilled rib eye on top with avocado, cilantro and a salsa made from green zebra tomatoes, lime juice, garlic, green tabasco and salt. Amazing!

I know people say there is a big taste difference between the two flours but I can't say I recall the tamales tasting particularly acidic, though I imagine it varies with the brand of flour. I have read that the lime also acts as a preservative and would imagine you would not want lots of it. I am really interested to see what you come up with!

I agree that a polenta would be a good method. I used to stuff arepa dough with meat and cheese and fry them. The flour is pre-cooked so it comes together really quickly. We used cooked, seasoned ground beef but they were thin enough that it seems raw could work. We also experimented in baking them into mini muffin tins. My other favorite dish involving meat stuffed in a dough is caldo de bolas where seasoned meat is stuffed in a plantain dough and simmered in a soup. I have experimented with turning that same dough into more of an empanada dough that could be baked. Nothing miraculous to report on that idea yet but it is promising. As sexyLAMBCHOPx mentions, many people around the world clearly think marrying meat and dough into a one-handed edible is a worthy pursuit!

My favorite local restaurant offers an oriental hamburger called Peremech This hamburger has spiced ground beef wrapped in crispy dough, with a peep hole into which the Tartars (and customers) add a dash of hot bouillon, sour cream, soy sauce and onion.

I've tried to research this recipe, & have some history but no recipe. I guess I could figure it out, but if anyone reads this and has any ideas, please let me know. Like the dumpling, meatball, potato pancakes, etc., this type of food (meat encased in dough) spans globally.

Then there's empanadas and piroshki. Australian meat pies?

Both ChefOno's and Pierino's idea sounds wonderful.

In another direction, many meat fillings are added to Nikuman, a Chinese-type dumpling that is usually steamed, but there are some versions from the Shinshu area that are fried.

Like to come for dinner, hint, hint.

You might Google for recipes for Columbian arepas - they're usually done with just cheese here but I've had them in Columbia with a meat patty inside, also a hard-boiled egg, and they were pretty much as you describe.

How about this: Fully cook the meat patties while preparing a batch of polenta. Pour a layer of polenta into a ramekin or other round container and let it set up for a few minutes. Center a meat patty in the mold and fill with another layer of polenta. Allow to firm up overnight before frying in (olive) oil at a relatively low temperature until warmed through and crispy.

Yes, i actually have both leftover pupusas and gorditas in my frig as we speak! do you think a thicker pupusa could work/ cook correctly? and do you think i'd need to cook the meat patty first?
i was also wondering about hushpuppy batter and trying to imagine if i'd dip a raw, or cooked, meat patty into the batter and then put it into a pool of hot oil...... But i think meat patties are better with a crust on them, so maybe i would sear and cook the patty and then pour the batter over the top and sides; but then that could only work with a thin pool of oil.....
What do yall think? thx again.

Or the Mexican gordita.

The idea is similar to the Salvadoran pupusa except that you wouldn't use a meat patty as such. It's sort of like a flattened tamale. Typically served with a spicy slaw.

p.s. maybe I could try to make okonomoyaki with the meat patty in the middle?