Japanese Tamago Sando Recipe with Soft Milk Bread
shared by Nibblore Kitchen
This Japanese egg salad sandwich pairs creamy, finely mashed eggs with pillowy milk bread for a simple but satisfying lunch. A touch of rice vinegar balances the rich mayonnaise, while a jammy egg half in the center adds visual appeal and contrasting texture. Chilling the filling briefly helps it hold neatly when sliced. • Starting the eggs in boiling water makes the 9-minute cooking time more consistent; lower them carefully to prevent cracking. • Mash the eggs while they are still slightly cool rather than refrigerator-cold so the yolks blend smoothly into the mayonnaise. • Use thick, very fresh milk bread and avoid pressing firmly, since the airy crumb is central to the sandwich's texture. • If preparing ahead, keep the sandwich wrapped and trim or cut it just before serving to prevent the exposed bread from drying out. • Use a soft, thick-cut white sandwich loaf if Japanese milk bread is unavailable. • Replace Japanese mayonnaise with regular full-fat mayonnaise mixed with an additional 1/4 teaspoon rice vinegar and a small pinch of sugar. • Use salted butter in place of unsalted butter and reduce the filling's salt to 1/8 teaspoon. Refrigerate assembled sandwiches tightly wrapped for up to 24 hours; the bread will gradually soften, so they are best eaten within 6 hours. Do not freeze, as thawed egg salad becomes watery. Serve chilled or let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes; reheating is not recommended.
- Total time
- 29 min
- Servings
- 2
- Difficulty
- Beginner-friendly
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Save to my cookbook — freeIngredients
- 5large eggs
- 3 tbspJapanese mayonnaise
- 1 tsprice vinegar
- ½ tspgranulated sugar
- ¼ tspfine sea salt
- ⅛ tspwhite pepper, ground
- 4 sliceJapanese milk bread, about 1.5 cm thick
- 2 tspunsalted butter, softened
Instructions
- 1Bring a medium saucepan containing enough water to cover the eggs by 2.5 cm to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Carefully lower in the eggs with a spoon, adjust the heat to maintain a steady simmer, and cook for 9 minutes.
- 2While the eggs cook, fill a medium bowl with cold water and ice. Transfer the cooked eggs immediately to the ice bath and cool for 5 minutes; tap and peel them under a thin stream of cold water.
- 3Set aside 1 peeled egg for the sandwich centers. Place the remaining 4 eggs in a bowl and mash with a fork until the whites are in pieces no larger than 5 mm and the yolks form a coarse paste.
- 4Add the Japanese mayonnaise, rice vinegar, sugar, salt, and white pepper. Fold until creamy and evenly combined, then refrigerate the egg salad for 10 minutes. Taste and add a small pinch of salt if needed.
- 5Cut the reserved egg lengthwise into 4 wedges. Lay the milk bread slices on a board and spread one side of each slice with 1/2 teaspoon softened butter, reaching all the way to the edges.
- 6Divide half of the egg salad between 2 bread slices and spread it evenly, leaving the centers slightly hollow. Arrange 2 reserved egg wedges end to end down the middle of each sandwich, with the yolks facing sideways, then cover with the remaining egg salad.
- 7Close each sandwich with a second bread slice, buttered side facing the filling. Press very gently to settle the filling without compacting the bread. For the cleanest cuts, wrap each sandwich tightly in reusable food wrap and rest for 5 minutes.
- 8Unwrap the sandwiches and, using a sharp serrated knife with a gentle sawing motion, trim off the crusts if desired. Cut each sandwich in half across the line of the centered egg wedges, wiping the knife between cuts, and serve immediately.