Tamago Sando Recipe

Hard-boil eggs

Place 6 large eggs in a single layer in a saucepan and cover with cold water by about 1 inch (2.5 cm). Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook for 9 minutes for firm, but not dry, yolks. Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath (bowl of cold water with ice). When time is up, transfer eggs to the ice bath and cool completely (about 5 minutes).

Peel and chop eggs

Crack and peel the cooled eggs. Rinse to remove shell bits if needed. Chop the eggs coarsely for a chunky salad or mash more finely if you prefer a smoother filling. Reserve a couple of teaspoons of chopped yolk for garnish if desired.

Make dressing and combine

In a mixing bowl combine 4 tbs mayonnaise, 1 tsp dashi (or stock), 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning — the mixture should be slightly sweet, savory, and creamy. Add the chopped eggs and fold gently until evenly coated. Do not overmix; keep some texture.

Prepare bread

Lightly butter one side of each of the 8 slices of bread with softened unsalted butter. The buttered side will face outward to help prevent sogginess and add flavor. If you prefer, you can toast the outside lightly for extra crunch, but traditional tamago sando uses soft bread.

Assemble sandwiches

Lay 4 slices of bread, buttered side down. Divide the egg salad evenly among them (about 1/4 of the mixture per sandwich). If using, place a lettuce leaf on top of the egg salad for each sandwich. Top with the remaining 4 slices of bread, buttered side up.

Trim and serve

Press each sandwich gently to compact the filling. Use a sharp knife to trim off the crusts so each sandwich has clean edges (optional but traditional). Cut each sandwich in half crosswise or diagonally into two equal pieces. Serve immediately, or wrap tightly with plastic wrap and chill for up to 2 days. If chilling, remove from fridge 10–15 minutes before serving for best texture.