Wanpaku Sandwich わんぱくサンド

• Gather all the ingredients. You will also need plastic wrap or parchment paper (and some paper clips).
  

To Make the Grated Carrot Salad (Carottes Râpées)

• Peel 2 carrots. Cut the carrots into a fine julienne with the julienne blade of a mandoline, peeler, or a sharp knife. Cut in half or thirds if your carrots are long.
  
• Sprinkle the carrots with 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt and rub and mix with your hands.
  
• To make the vinaigrette, combine 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar, 2 Tbsp olive oil, ¼ tsp sugar, and freshly ground black pepper, stirring with a whisk.
  
• Add the vinaigrette to the carrot mixture and toss to coat. Cover and let stand for 1 hour.
  

To Make the Fried Egg and Boiled Egg

• Heat ½ Tbsp extra virgin olive oil over medium heat in a frying pan. Crack 1 large egg and fry it as you like. Set aside.
  
• In a pot of boiling water, gently place 1 large egg you just took out of the refrigerator. Cook the egg on gently simmering water for 9 minutes. Transfer the egg to iced water to let cool. Peel the shell and set aside.
  

To Make the Tuna Salad

• Drain the oil or water from ½ (5-oz) can albacore tuna (preferably packed in olive oil). Season the tuna with Japanese mayonnaise. For this Japanese brand canned tuna, I used 3 Tbsp Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise.
  
• Sprinkle the tuna with freshly ground black pepper and mix well. Taste and add 1 pinch Diamond Crystal kosher salt, if necessary.
  

To Prepare the Sliced Cucumbers

• Peel ½ English cucumber with a peeler. If you’re using an English cucumber or American cucumber, stop peeling when you see seeds. Seeds get too watery in the sandwich, so just don’t put the center with seeds inside the sandwich.
  
• On a sheet of paper towel, place the cucumber slices to remove excess moisture.

To Prepare the Sliced Tomatoes

• Slice 2 tomatoes and place on top of a sheet of paper towel and remove excess moisture.

To Prepare the Sliced Cabbage

• Thinly shred ¼ head red cabbage with a cabbage slicer or a sharp knife.
  

To Prepare the Sliced Avocados

• Cut 1 avocado in half lengthwise around the seed and twist to open. Hack the knife edge into the pit. Hold the skin of avocado with the other hand and twist in counter direction. The pit will come out smoothly.
  
• Cut the avocado halves in half again, so you have quarters. Remove the skin and cut them lengthwise into ¼-inch slices. Clean your hands and knife with damp towel before working on another quarter.

To Prepare the Lettuce

• Carefully detach the lettuce leaves from 1 head green leaf lettuce and rinse well. Again, carefully remove the excess moisture with a paper towel.

To Prepare the Mayo & Mustard Spread

• In a small bowl, combine 4 Tbsp Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise and add 1 tsp Dijon mustard, stirring with a spatula.

To Assemble the Sandwich: Option 1 – Plastic Wrap Method

• For each sandwich, prepare a large sheet of plastic wrap. One sheet for each sandwich should be the width of about 4 slices of shokupan bread. Now, make a mental note that you will be slicing the sandwich WIDTHWISE (slice in the same direction as the scissor indicates).
  
• On 2 slices shokupan (Japanese milk bread), spread the mayo & mustard mixture on the bottom slice and the top slice.
  
• Place the bottom shokupan slice in the center of the plastic wrap. Start with lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumber. You can start with any ingredients you like. Remember the tips I mentioned in the blog post. Flat ingredients should be at the bottom and flexible ingredients should be higher on the top.
  
• For each sandwich, fold and place 2 slices ham and 2 slices turkey on top, and then a fried egg and some avocado slices. Keep in mind the “cut” line is WIDTHWISE. You have to always imagine how the cut line would look like.
  
• Put the grated carrot salad on top, followed by shredded cabbage and finally a lettuce leaf on top.
  
• Put the top slice on with the mayo & mustard side facing down. Gently press down the bread with one hand and lift one side of plastic wrap to wrap around tightly. Gently and slowly pull down the plastic wrap as you go over the sandwich. This helps to tighten the sandwich and prevent the ingredients from falling off. 
  
• When the plastic wrap reaches to the other side of the sandwich, pull the other side of the plastic wrap, going over the sandwich and wrap around the sandwich so the seam line will be on the bottom of the sandwich. Now close the opening area by tightly wrapping around.
  
• Do the same for the other opening areas. Set aside for 5–10 minutes.
  
• Using a clean and sharp knife (I use a bread knife), cut the sandwich in half along the “cut” line.
  

To Assemble the Sandwich: Option 2 – Parchment Paper Method

• Prepare a large sheet of parchment paper for each sandwich; it should be the width of about 4 slices of shokupan. Follow exactly as the first sandwich above, but with thin tonkatsu (pork cutlet). Smear the mayo & mustard spread, followed by lettuce and the grated carrot salad.
  
• Next, add sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, and 2 pieces thin Tonkatsu (pork cutlet).
  
• Drizzle tonkatsu sauce and top with shredded cabbage. Then, place the top bread slice, spread side down.
  
• Now with parchment paper, you will bring the left and right edges of the paper together over the center of the sandwich and line them up. Fold the joined edges down by half an inch and crease sharply. Continue folding in half-inch turns, creasing each time.
  
• As you fold the paper, gently press down the sandwich to make sure it stays in the right location. When the fold is flush with the surface of the sandwich, let it lay flat. Use paper clips to hold in place.
• Now we work on one side at a time. Press down the top paper, then form a pleated triangle (on working surface), creasing the triangle’s edges. Then curl up the triangle to tuck into the folds on the side. Repeat for the other side. Set aside for 5–10 minutes.
  
• Using a clean and sharp knife (I use a bread knife), cut the sandwich in half along the “cut” line.
  

To Assemble the Sandwich: Option 3 – Plastic Wrap & Parchment Paper Method

• Prepare a large sheet of plastic wrap for each sandwich; it should be the width of about 4 slices of shokupan. Follow exactly as the first two sandwiches above, but with tuna salad. Smear the mayo & mustard spread, followed by lettuce, sliced tomatoes, and cucumbers.
  
• Next, add the tuna salad, sliced avocados, and boiled egg.
  
• Then top with shredded cabbage, grated carrot salad, and lettuce.
  
• Place the top slice and gently press down as you wrap around the sandwich with plastic wrap, following Option 1 Method. Then, use Option 2 Method to cover up the plastic wrap. It’s easier to wrap the sandwich as it doesn’t move.
  
• Here we go over the side. Press down the top paper, fold both sides to form a triangle on the working surface. Then, tuck in to the folds on the side.
  
• Work on the other side. Press down the top paper, fold both sides to create a triangle, and then tuck in the triangle into the folds on the side of the sandwich.
  
• Using a clean and sharp knife (I use a bread knife), cut the sandwich in half along the “cut” line.
  

To Pack the Sandwich

• Use a square lunch box container or take out container to pack your sandwich. Make sure the sandwich stays tight so they will not loosen or fall apart.