Don Signature Crab - Singapore Food Guide

Egg Mayo Sandwich Filling

A creamy Singapore-style egg mayo sandwich filling made with soft-boiled eggs, mayonnaise and a light tang — perfect for kopitiam breakfasts and heartland lunchboxes.

Egg Mayo Sandwich Filling

About this dish

This Egg Mayo Sandwich Filling is the kind of comfort you find in a kopi shop or home kitchen across Singapore — simple, familiar and endlessly adaptable. Think soft-to-firm boiled eggs chopped and folded with mayonnaise, a touch of mustard and aromatics to create a spread that’s silky on white bread or kaya toast for a playful twist. It’s equally at home in a CBD lunchbox, a sleepy Tiong Bahru brunch, or as part of a potluck spread at a neighbourhood block party.

The flavour profile is creamy, slightly tangy with a gentle hit of black pepper and a faint sweetness if you prefer, and the texture ranges from chunky to smooth depending on how finely you chop the eggs. Local tweaks make it sing here: swap Japanese kewpie mayo for a richer umami note, add a dab of sambal for heat, or toss in chopped gherkins or cilantro to echo flavours you’d find at hawker centres and zi char stalls.

This recipe suits busy parents packing school bento boxes, anyone wanting a quick kopitiam-style breakfast, or hosts preparing large tea-time platters for guests during festive gatherings. It’s quick to make, stores well in the fridge for a couple of days, and adapts easily to dietary preferences — use low-fat mayo or mashed silken tofu for a lighter version. Serve it on soft sandwich bread, toasted slices, or as a filling for croissants when you want a small luxury with your kopi.

Ingredients

  • 6 large eggs
  • 120 g mayonnaise (Kewpie recommended for umami, or regular mayo)
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard or yellow mustard
  • 1 tsp white vinegar or 1 tbsp freshly squeezed calamansi/lime juice
  • 1 tsp sugar (optional, balances acidity)
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for finishing
  • 2 stalks spring onion, thinly sliced (green parts only for freshness)
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped gherkin or dill pickle (optional for crunch and tang)
  • 1 tsp sambal oelek or 1/2 tsp chilli padi, finely chopped (optional for a Singapore chilli kick)
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro or parsley (optional)
  • 8 slices soft sandwich bread (white or wholemeal) or 4 croissant halves
  • butter for spreading/toasting (optional)
  • lettuce leaves or thin cucumber slices for assembly (optional)

Step-by-Step Method

  1. Place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan and cover with cold water by about 2 cm; bring to a gentle boil over medium heat.
  2. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer for 9–10 minutes for fully set yolks (8 minutes for slightly creamier yolks); prepare an ice bath while eggs cook to stop further cooking.
  3. Drain eggs and transfer to the ice bath; cool for 5–10 minutes, then peel. Tip: tap and roll eggs on a board to crack shells for easy peeling — a common home trick in Singapore kitchens.
  4. Roughly chop peeled eggs to your preferred texture (chunky or fine). Place chopped eggs in a mixing bowl.
  5. Add mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, vinegar (or calamansi/lime), sugar, salt and pepper to the bowl. Fold gently until combined; taste and adjust seasoning — add more salt, a squeeze of lime, or a dash more mayo if you like it creamier.
  6. Stir in spring onion, chopped gherkin and sambal if using. For a silkier filling, mash some of the chopped eggs with the back of a fork before folding everything together.
  7. Chill the mixture for 10–20 minutes to let flavours meld (optional but recommended). If packing for lunch, store in an airtight container in the fridge and use within 2 days.
  8. Spread butter on bread if toasting; assemble by spreading a generous layer of egg mayo on bread slices, add lettuce or cucumber if using, top with another slice and cut diagonally. Serve immediately with kopi, teh or iced barley for a true Singapore pairing.

Tips & Serving Ideas

  • For easy-peel eggs, add a teaspoon of baking soda to the boiling water or use an ice bath immediately after cooking; both are common kitchen tricks in Singapore homes.
  • Kewpie mayo (available at NTUC, Cold Storage, Sheng Siong) gives a creamier, slightly sweeter finish; use low-fat mayo or mashed silken tofu to reduce calories.
  • Adjust heat with sambal or chopped chilli padi to local taste — Singaporeans often dial it up for lunch but keep it mild for kids’ bento boxes.
  • Make the filling a day ahead and keep refrigerated; it flavours up overnight and is perfect for busy mornings or potlucks, but consume within 48 hours.
  • For a creamier texture, mash some yolk into the mayo base; for chunkier texture, keep large egg pieces and add crunchy gherkin or celery.
  • Use a piping bag or zip-top bag with the corner snipped off for neat sandwich assembly like in cafes and kopitiams.
  • If toasting, spread butter on the outside of the bread and grill on medium heat until golden — this gives a nostalgic kopi-shop toasted sandwich feel.

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