For sandwich-loving souls, if you haven’t had the chance to experience the sando and the art of Japanese making of sandwich, now’s the time to do so.
A staple in Japan’s comfort food repertoire, the Japanese-style sandwich is known (and popular) for its simplicity, if not the wildly impressive array of stuffings – like meat, cream, and egg. Not only has the dish become the country’s go-to item, but thanks to its scrumptiousness and simpleness, the dish has also now made it into many foodies’ hearts around the world.
Although getting a decent sando at a restaurant or upscale sando spot is a real treat, adding it to your list of home-cooked meals will also introduce your home diet to another dish, which is fun to make yet so succulent to eat.
From wagyu to tamago and fruit sandos, we’ve curated cooking videos that will serve as a step-by-step guide for Japanese sandwich recipes and how you can recreate the dish at home like a pro.
Featured image credit: Instagram/ekibenathens; hero image credit: Instagram/maison_olivia
Chicken Katsu Sando
Who doesn’t like something deep-fried and carb-y? We know we do. So it comes as no surprise that this deep-fried chicken cutlet holds a very dear spot in our hearts. It’s easy to make but with a big payoff in flavours, textures, and looks. It’s instagrammable and palate-pleasing.
Check out this authentic Japanese version of the chicken katsu sando recipe.
Ingredients
Japanese style milk bread – two slices
Chicken breast or thigh with skin on
All-purpose flour
Eggs
Kosher salt
White onion (finely chopped)
Japanese-style panko bread crumbs
Bull-dog sauce
Sriracha hot chilli sauce
White cabbage (thinly sliced)
Kewpie mayo
Oil for frying
Cooking time
10 minutes
Total Time
Around 1 hour.
Nutritional value
A chicken katsu sando is high in carbohydrates, proteins and fats, along with vitamins A and C, calcium, iron and fiber.
Wagyu Sandwich
Calling out all wagyu connoisseurs. This deep-fried wagyu cutlet stuffed in between slices of golden-brown toasted Japanese milk bread should be your next move. Need more convincing?
Wagyu means ‘beef sandwich’ in Japanese. The marbled, fat-laden piece of beef oozes a flavoursome juice which acts as an extra gourmet helper to the tonkatsu sauce. Make this recipe for a friends’ get together on game day or just as a quick lunch recipe.
Ingredients
Japanese-style soft milk bread
Japanese-style panko bread crumbs
Butter
Ketchup
Eggs
All-purpose flour
Oil for frying
Worcestershire Sauce
Honey
Mustard sauce
Mayonnaise
Beef katsu
Salt and pepper
Cooking time
5 to 10 minutes
Total Time
15 minutes
Nutritional value
The wagyu sando is rich in carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins A and C, calcium, iron and fiber.
Egg Salad Sandwich
The Japanese egg salad sandwich is not new. But it was not until last year that LA’s sando institution “Konbi” brought the egg-stuffed sandwich to the world’s attention. For those who’ve seen their egg salad sando feeds sprinkled all over social media and want to make one, here’s an easy-to-follow tutorial that will blow your mind with a mouth-walloping result.
This Japanese egg salad sandwich tastes even better when shared with friends.Hope you enjoy this recipe!
Ingredients
Japanese-style white bread
Kewpie mayonnaise or Japanese Mayonnaise
Salt and pepper
Hard-boiled eggs
Scallion (thinly sliced)
Cooking time
5 to 10 minutes
Total Time
15 to 20 minutes
Nutritional value
The egg salad sandwich is high in carbohydrates, which quickly energises your body. t is also a good source of fats, proteins, vitamin A, calcium, iron, with a moderate amount of fiber.
Tamago Sandwich
Another Japanese egg sandwich that will cater to your palates. For those who love the Japanese rolled omelette, Tamago, this egg sandwich will turn into a hit in your mealtime. The egg filling has a hint of sweetness and boasts a pillowy soft and fluffy texture fit for soft food-obsessed foodies.
Ingredients
Japanese-style sandwich bread
Eggs
Sugar
Salt and pepper
Cooking wine
Soy sauce
Milk
Mayonnaise
Wasabi
Mustard sauce
Cooking time
30 minutes
Total Time
40 minutes
Nutritional value
The Tamago Sando has a high nutritional content with fats, carbohydrates, proteins and a decent amount of sodium, potassium, fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium and iron.
Fruit Sandwich
Part of the popular pandemic food art, fruit sandos have made a sensation in the Instagram world due to their cutesy looks. The bread and fluffy whipped cream here is used as a canvas whilst fruit with vibrant hues like strawberry, orange, and kiwi are used as vivid paints.
Not only do these sandos look good, but the sweetness from the cream and brightness from the fruit also complement each other so well, creating refreshing contrasting flavours which make it perfect a dessert – or even just a snack.
Check out this authentic Japanese cooking tutorial video to make one of the most delicious sandos within minutes.
Ingredients
4 Slices Shokupan Japanese milk bread
Heavy whipped cream
Strawberries
Kiwis
Mandarin
Raspberries
Mango
Prep time
10 minutes
Total Time
Around 1 hour and 15 minutes (including 1 hour of chilling)
Nutritional value
A Fruit Sando is exceptionally rich in nutrients from various fruits. It serves as a good source of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamin A and C, calcium, iron and dietary fiber.
This article first appeared on Lifestyle Asia Bangkok on 23 July 2020.
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Written by
Kankanit Wichiantanon
Writer, Bangkok
Kankanit is a writer by day and a baker by night. If there’s one thing you should know about her, it’s that she can wax poetic about food 24/7. Her daily routine is writing, cooking, eating, repeat. They are the things that inspire her from morning 'til night.
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