A Japanese egg salad sandwich inspired by the konbini tamago sando, wrapped in rice paper and pan-fried until thin, crispy on the edges, and slightly chewy in the center.
Ingredients
- 6 pieces fresh medium eggs
- 8 pieces round rice paper wrappers for spring rolls
- 80 g Kewpie Japanese mayonnaise
- 20 ml whole milk
- 20 g unsalted butter
- 1 tsp mild Japanese mustard or mild yellow mustard
- 1 tsp extra-fine white sugar
- 2 pinches fine salt
- 1 pinch ground white pepper
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 4 sprigs fresh chives
Method
- Cook the eggs in a pot of gently simmering water at 95 °C (203 °F), starting with hot water, for exactly 9 minutes to achieve firm, bright yellow yolks. Plunge them immediately into an ice bath for 5 minutes to halt the cooking completely: the shells must be completely cold to the touch before peeling.
- Peel the eggs. Separate the whites from the yolks. Finely chop the whites by hand into 3 to 5 mm pieces, taking care not to mash them, to preserve a clean bite in the filling.
- Mash the yolks in a bowl with the Japanese mayonnaise, whole milk, mild mustard, sugar, fine salt, and white pepper. Work with a fork for about 2 minutes until smooth, glossy, and thick.
- Fold the chopped whites into the yolk mixture. Mix gently with a spatula for 30 seconds to coat without crushing. The filling should hold its shape on a spoon without running. Chill in the refrigerator at 4 °C (39 °F) for 10 minutes.
- Fill a wide, shallow dish with cold water. Dip a rice paper wrapper for 5 to 8 seconds, just long enough to soften the surface without letting it turn limp.
- Lay the wrapper on a lightly oiled cutting board. Spoon a portion of the filling into the center, shaping it into a thick rectangle. Fold the bottom up, fold the sides in, and roll tightly into a flat parcel. Repeat with a second wrapper soaked for 5 to 8 seconds around the same parcel to double-wrap it.
- Assemble the remaining sandwiches the same way. Let them rest seam-side down on an oiled surface for 3 minutes until the rice paper adheres tightly, remaining pliable and slightly tacky.
- Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat (about 160 °C / 320 °F) with the unsalted butter and sunflower oil. When the butter is foaming without browning, after 1 to 2 minutes, gently place the parcels seam-side down in the pan.
- Pan-fry undisturbed for 3 minutes until the underside is golden, blistered, and crisp. Flip with a wide spatula and cook the second side for another 3 minutes, until tapping the surface with a spatula makes a dry, crisp sound.
- Reduce the heat slightly and cook for 1 more minute per side, flipping once more to dry out the crust thoroughly while being careful not to overheat the creamy center.
- Drain on a wire rack to rest for 1 minute so moisture can escape without softening the crust. Garnish with finely minced chives.
- Serve immediately while still warm, sliced in half if desired: the shell should be crispy and crackling, with a warm, ultra-creamy center.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 679.1 kcal
- Protein
- 21.5 g
- Carbohydrate
- 37.82 g
- Fat
- 49.94 g
- Fibre
- 0.77 g
- Calcium
- 20.21 mg
- Iron
- 0.55 mg
- Magnesium
- 66.97 mg
