Tamago Sando

Ingredients

• 5 eggs
• 4 tbsp Japanese mayonnaise
• 1 tsp Dijon or karashi mustard
• 1/2 tsp caster sugar
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
• 1 tbsp double cream, optional
• 4 thick slices shokupan Japanese milk bread
• 20 g softened salted butter

Before you cook

• Take the eggs out of the fridge 10 minutes ahead so they are not fridge cold.
• Fill a bowl with cold water and plenty of ice.
• Mix the mayonnaise, mustard, sugar, salt, white pepper and cream together in a bowl.
• Spread the softened butter thinly right to the edges of all four bread slices, which keeps the filling from soaking in.

Steps

1. Bring a saucepan of water to a rolling boil.
2. Lower the eggs in on a spoon and boil them for 9 minutes for a set yolk with a soft centre.
3. Lift the eggs straight into the iced water and leave them for 3 minutes.
4. Peel the eggs under a running tap.
5. Separate two of the eggs and mash their yolks into the mayonnaise mixture until smooth.
6. Chop the remaining eggs and the two spare whites into rough 1 cm pieces, keeping the texture coarse.
7. Fold the chopped egg through the dressing without mashing it.
8. Taste the filling and add more salt if it seems flat.
9. Pile all the filling onto two buttered slices and spread it right to the edges, mounding it slightly in the middle.
10. Close each sandwich with a second buttered slice and press down gently.
11. Wrap each sandwich tightly in cling film and rest it for 5 minutes so it holds its shape.
12. Unwrap and cut the crusts off with a long serrated knife, wiping the blade between cuts.
13. Cut each sandwich into three fingers or two triangles and serve.