How to Turn Japanese Rolled Omelet into a Fluffy Sandwich

By Yasuto Akaike / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

12:30 JST, June 22, 2025

Dashimaki rolled omelet is a popular Japanese dish. Chef and owner of a Japanese restaurant, Akihiko Murata, has made this fluffy omelet into a sandwich. The yellow filling is thicker than the bread and a feast for the eyes.

This dashimaki sandwich was born when a customer asked Murata to whip up something to take home. Murata’s trick is to add a mixture of potato starch and water to the egg mixture.

“Dashimaki is high in water content. Potato starch keeps the liquid from seeping into the bread over time,” he said.

Honey is another ingredient in this version that is not typically used in the dashimaki served at his restaurant.

The gentle sweetness pairs well with the butter, mustard and mayonnaise spread on the bread.

After preparing three types of egg mixture, he poured each into the pan in four batches, and flipping slightly earlier than normal dashimaki to avoid overcooking. Flipping deftly with your wrist may need some practice, but a spatula will help.

“Even if you can’t roll it well, you can make it up by shaping later with a makisu [bamboo rolling mat],” Murata said. “I wasn’t good at first.”

Once the dashimaki is sandwiched between the slices of bread, it is wrapped in plastic wrap and left to rest for a while.

“The idea is to let the bread and filling come together. This makes the bread moist and easier to cut,” he said.

It can be eaten whole or cut into bite-sized pieces. When the dashimaki is thicker than the bread it has a satisfying volume but a surprisingly light taste thanks to its fluffy texture.

The nori version with cheese is appealing to children. The dashimaki omelet can be served with such ingredients as tuna or benishoga red pickled ginger as well.

Dashimaki sandwich

Ingredients (serves 2 to 4):

• 6 slices bread (from an 8-slice loaf)
• 9 eggs
• 270 milliliters dashi broth
• 1 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp honey
• 10 grams chopped Chinese chives
• 2 sheets of roasted nori (9 by 5 centimeters)
• 20 grams whole-grain mustard
• 20 grams butter
• 1 slice cheese



Directions:

1. Make egg mixture. Beat eggs in a bowl and add dashi broth, light soy sauce and honey. Dissolve 1/2 tablespoon of potato starch in an equal amount of water, add to the egg mixture and stir.

2. Prepare two additional bowls and divide the egg mixture into three equal portions. Leave one bowl plain. Add Chinese chives into the other bowl. Rip the nori into small pieces and put them in the last bowl. Mix lightly.



3. In a small bowl, mix whole-grain mustard and 30 grams of mayonnaise.

4. Lay bread slices on a cutting board, spread with butter and the mayonnaise mixture.

5. Oil an omelet pan about 18 centimeters long and 14 centimeters wide. Pour in 1/4 of the egg mixture. Let set and then roll the cooked egg to a little before the middle of the pan to create the shape. Pour in the next 1/4 batch of egg in the remaining area. Repeat until all the mixture is used. For the nori mixture, place the cheese slice on the egg mixture before making the second roll.



6. Shape the omelets with a bamboo rolling mat.

7. Sandwich each omelet between slices of bread, wrap in plastic wrap and let rest for about a minute.

8. Remove the wrap, cut into desired sizes and place on a plate. Garnish with yamagobo pickle if desired.