If you’ve been to Japan you surely know the amazingness that is the conbi, or, convenience store. In fact, Whenever I’m there I usually get at least one meal a day at a Japanese 7-11 or a Lawson. The food is pretty high quality, and frankly delicious. One of the most popular things to buy at a Japanese convenience store is a tamago sando, which is just a Japanese egg salad sandwich to eat on the go.
Unlike traditional Japanese recipes like tamago kake gohan or tsukune, the simple tamago sando falls into the food category of yoshoku, or Western influenced foods. There are quite a few fusion foods in Japan that are now commonly accepted as Japanese, like Japanese curry for example. These convenience store sandwiches are a prime example of yoshoku, since egg salad was introduced to Japan around a hundred years ago.
This recipe is so easy to make at home, provided you have the right ingredients. In fact there are really only four ingredients you need, although one of them absolutely cannot be substituted. This ingredient is Japanese mayonnaise, and it is what gives such a rich, umami-packed flavor to a basic tamago sando.
Do I Need Japanese Mayonnaise, Or Will Regular Mayonnaise Work Fine?
To make a proper tamago sando you definitely need Japanese mayonnaise. The most well known brand is make it at home as well. This extra rich tasting mayonnaise is also used in dishes like Spicy Tuna Onigiri and Korean Corn Cheese!
If you want to learn how to make regular French style mayonnaise at home, click here!
How To Make A Tamago Sando At Home
Since there are only four ingredients in this recipe you should be able to make this whenever you feel like. After all, it only takes a few minutes to put a sandwich together once everything is prepared. While I just use store bought bread, you can make it yourself at home with a simple pullman loaf pan.
Ingredients
1 loaf Shokupan – This Japanese sandwich bread is milk based, similar to a brioche. If you cannot find shokupan and don’t feel like making one at home, then you can just use regular white sandwich bread, or brioche.
- 8 Eggs – boiled, cooled, and peeled
- 4 Green Onions – chopped
- 3 tbsp Japanese Mayonnaise – if it looks like you need more go ahead and add another tbsp. It really depends on how mayo-y you like your egg salad.
Give your eggs a rough chop and place them in a bowl along with the green onion and mayonnaise. Mix everything together. You can taste here to see if you like the flavor and if you want to adjust anything. Unlike western style egg salad, I don’t include salt, or really any other herbs and spices in this recipe as my mayonnaise (and Japanese mayo in general) is well seasoned. However if you feel it needs something go ahead and adjust to your taste preferences.
Spread the egg salad mix on a slice of bread, top with another, and cut on diagonally for a proper Japanese convenience store presentation. Enjoy!
Related Recipe: Potato Salad Sando
Tamago Sando
Ingredients
- 1 loaf Shokupan This Japanese sandwich bread is milk based similar to a brioche. If you cannot find shokupan and don't feel like making one at home, then you can just use regular white sandwich bread, or brioche.
- 8 Eggs boiled, cooled, and peeled
- 4 Green Onions chopped
- 3 tbsp Japanese Mayonnaise if it looks like you need more go ahead and add another tbsp. It really depends on how mayo-y you like your egg salad.
Instructions
- Start with boiling your eggs for about 9 minutes. Then place them under running cold water until cool. Then peel and roughly chop them. Place in a bowl.
- Add to the bowl the chopped green onion and Japanese mayonnaise and give everything a good mix.
- Spread the egg salad on a slice of bread and cover with another slice. Cut diagonally and enjoy!
