Keelung fried sandwich

What it is

The Keelung fried sandwich is sold as 營養三明治, literally "nutritious sandwich". It uses a long oval roll rather than sliced bread. The dough is coated in breadcrumbs and deep-fried, then split while hot and packed with ham, braised egg, tomato and cucumber, with plenty of sweet mayonnaise. It is also called salad boat (沙拉船).

Where it came from

The sandwich dates from the 1950s or 1960s and is tied to Keelung's role as a port for American forces, who came to Asia with the Korean and Vietnam wars. One account credits a man surnamed Chi (遲) with inventing it. A popular story says homesick servicemen tried to recreate food from home with local ingredients.

The name comes from the politics of flour. American flour arrived in bulk in the 1950s. In 1962 a committee backed by US aid officials and the flour industry was set up to promote wheat foods as good for health, while rice was talked down. It brought a doughnut-frying machine over from the US and fried bread in front of shoppers. Bread came to stand for nutrition, so a bread sandwich could be sold as nutritious.

By modern standards it is not. One estimate puts a single sandwich at about 600 kcal, most of it from oil and mayonnaise. From Miaokou night market (廟口夜市) in Keelung it spread to night markets across Taiwan.

How it is made

The roll starts as dough, shaped into a long oval at the stall. It is dipped in egg and breadcrumbs and fried until golden and crisp, ending up roughly the shape of a hot-dog bun. The hot roll is slit lengthways and lined with mayonnaise. Ham, tomato, cucumber and braised egg follow, with a final squeeze of mayonnaise. Stalls fill it the moment it leaves the oil so the bread stays light.

How to eat it

It is a snack, bought hot and eaten on the spot or while walking round the night market. Ask for 營養三明治 at the stall. Some stalls will add extra fillings on request.