Triple-Decker Rousong Sanmingzhi

Name: Triple-Decker Rousong Sanmingzhi
Cuisine: Taiwanese
Ingredients: 1 small Persian cucumber; 1/4 tsp kosher salt; 3 tbsp Japanese mayonnaise; 1 1/2 tsp sweetened condensed milk; 2 large eggs; 1 tsp neutral oil; 6 slices Asian milk bread; 1/2 cup pork floss

美而美肉鬆小黃瓜三明治·(ròu-sōng xiǎo-huáng-guā sān-míng-zhì)

台式早餐 (Táishì Zǎocān) - Taiwanese Breakfasts, Fast in the Suburbs

Four slices of crustless white bread and a red-lidded tub of rousong sit on the counter, replicating the five-minute commuter staple handed across the counter at Taiwanese corner breakfast shops like Mei Er Mei. Recreating that exact plastic-bagged nostalgia in an American kitchen comes down to two non-negotiable details: doctoring Kewpie mayo with condensed milk to mimic Taiwan's sweet spread, and salting shredded cucumbers so they crunch without turning the toasted milk bread into a soggy mess. Press the top slice down with your palm, cut corner to corner with a serrated knife, and eat it over the sink while the toast is still warm enough to melt the mayo.

Before you start

Toss the shredded cucumber with a pinch of kosher salt in a small bowl and let sit for 5 minutes, then squeeze bone-dry in a paper towel.
Do not skip this grandma trick; osmosis draws out the excess water so you get pure crunch instead of a wet sandwich.
Whisk the Japanese mayonnaise and sweetened condensed milk in a small bowl until glossy and smooth.
Beat the eggs in a bowl with the remaining pinch of salt.

Ingredients

Persian cucumber1 small
kosher salt1/4 tsp
Japanese mayonnaise3 tbsp
sweetened condensed milk1 1/2 tsp
eggs2 large
neutral oil1 tsp
Asian milk bread6 slices
pork floss1/2 cup

Method

01
Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat.
02
Pour the beaten eggs into the skillet, swirling to form a thin sheet, then cook for 1 minute until set.
Fold the egg sheet in half, and then in half again to form a neat square patty, then slice it into two equal portions.
03
Toast the milk bread slices until lightly golden and crisp on the outside while keeping the centers pillowy.
04
Spread an edge-to-edge layer of the sweet mayonnaise across all six slices of toast.
The fat in the mayo acts as both flavor and a moisture barrier, as well as the glue for the pork floss.
05
Press the pork floss into the mayonnaise on two bottom slices, top each with a middle bread slice, layer on the warm egg and dry cucumber shreds, and close with the remaining bread.
06
Trim the crusts with a serrated knife, press down gently on the sandwiches, and slice diagonally into triangles to serve.

Notes

Do not substitute standard American mayonnaise for the Kewpie.
American mayo is too sharp and vinegary. Kewpie is made strictly with egg yolks and rice vinegar, giving it the rich umami base needed to balance the sweet condensed milk.
Substitute thick-cut brioche or soft white sandwich bread if you cannot make it to an Asian bakery for milk bread.

From Cook Taiwanese in America.

Triple-Decker Rousong Sanmingzhi

Before you start

Toss the shredded cucumber with a pinch of kosher salt in a small bowl and let sit for 5 minutes, then squeeze bone-dry in a paper towel.

Whisk the Japanese mayonnaise and sweetened condensed milk in a small bowl until glossy and smooth.

Beat the eggs in a bowl with the remaining pinch of salt.

Ingredients

Method

Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat.

Pour the beaten eggs into the skillet, swirling to form a thin sheet, then cook for 1 minute until set.

Toast the milk bread slices until lightly golden and crisp on the outside while keeping the centers pillowy.

Spread an edge-to-edge layer of the sweet mayonnaise across all six slices of toast.

Press the pork floss into the mayonnaise on two bottom slices, top each with a middle bread slice, layer on the warm egg and dry cucumber shreds, and close with the remaining bread.

Trim the crusts with a serrated knife, press down gently on the sandwiches, and slice diagonally into triangles to serve.

Notes

Do not substitute standard American mayonnaise for the Kewpie.

Substitute thick-cut brioche or soft white sandwich bread if you cannot make it to an Asian bakery for milk bread.