There are few things in life better than a big sandwich. I don’t care if it’s going to make me feel sluggish and tired after lunch at work – the bigger the better, but the filling’s got to be interesting.
Making a bland sandwich is a good way to instantly ruin your day. One particular filling that often disappoints me is egg mayonnaise – controversial, but I think it’s great, if it’s executed correctly. And if you’re making yours with normal mayo, you’re doing it all wrong, as there’s a much more delicious alternative that will make your sandwich taste 10 times better.
Using kewpie mayo instead of normal mayo is the perfect way to add an extra kick of flavour to your egg sarnie. This condiment, which hails from Japan, is made from yolks only, so it’s got a way smoother texture.
It’s also slightly more yellow in colour, and has a very distinctive umami taste that’s world away from your average bottle of Hellman’s. You can pick it up in most supermarkets or world foods stores, and it’s also perfect for drizzling over sushi, rice bowls and noodle dishes.
This is the mayo used in BBC Good Food’s ‘ultimate’ egg mayo sandwich, so I decided to give it a go one lunchtime this week. And honestly, I’ll never go back. Thanks to the kewpie, and a few other extra ingredients, I made a delicious and filling sandwich that I have been thinking about ever since. Here’s how I did it.
How to make the ultimate egg mayo sandwich
Ingredients (serves one)
- Two eggs
- Two and a half tbsp Kewpie mayo
- 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
- Half a celery stick
- Quarter of a shallot
- Small bunch of chives
- Two slices thick white bread
- Packet of ready salted crisps
Method:
Bring a pan of salted water to the boil, then add the eggs and cook for seven minutes. When the time is up, dunk the eggs in a bowl of iced water and leave for five minutes before peeling them.
Then, cut the eggs in half and put the yolks and the whites in two different bowls. Use the back of a fork to mash the whites, but make sure to leave some bigger chunks in there.
Then, add the mayo to the bowl with the yolks as well as the mustard and a pinch of salt. The kewpie mayo is considerably saltier than normal, so you really don’t need a lot of salt.
The recipe recommends using a whisk to emulsify it, but I didn’t have one to hand, so I just used a fork and made sure it was mixed together really smoothly. Once that’s done, add the celery, chives and shallot, and mix again before folding in the chopped egg whites.
Grab your bread – white bread is usually a no from me but it’s essential in this sandwich. In a pan, lightly toast each slice but just on one side.
Then, with the toasted side on the outside, assemble the sandwich by spreading on the filling and adding some crushed crisps on top. Pop the other slice of bread on top, then slice up and serve.
This is truly the only way you should eat an egg mayo sandwich. Toasting the bread makes it so crispy and delicious, and the kewpie mayo adds plenty of flavour that you just don’t get from normal mayonnaise.
