What makes these Asian-style scallion and corn lobster rolls special? It's all about the homemade buns! Take those soft rolls with a crunchy exterior and fill them with a fresh lobster salad to create the ultimate lobster roll!
Scallion and Corn Lobster Rolls
Ingredients
Sandwich bread
- ⅔ cup warm milk, between 100-110 degrees F (167 ml)
- 2 tablespoons honey (40 grams)
- 1 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast (6 grams)
- 2 cups bread flour (296 grams)
- 2 large eggs, divided
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons butter softened (28 grams)
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs (60 grams)
- oil for frying
Lobster salad
- 1 lb cooked lobster
- 1 cup cooked corn kernels
- ⅔ cup kewpie mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons Japanese hot mustard
- salt and pepper
- 1 Persian cucumber finely chopped
Instructions
- Make sandwich bread dough. Combine warm milk with honey and yeast, gently stirring to combine. Let sit for 10 minutes or until yeast is activated and mixture is foamy.
- Combine yeast mixture with bread flour, egg, salt, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix until a rough dough forms. Continue to knead dough until smooth, about 7-8 minutes. Transfer dough to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let proof in a warm area for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Punch down dough. Divide into 8 equal portions (about 78 grams each) and roll into balls. Loosely cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 15 minutes.
- Beat remaining egg in a large bowl and place panko in another bowl.
- Working with one portion at a time, flatten the dough ball into a rectangle. Starting with the long side facing you, roll the dough into a log. Pinch close the seams and roll the log until it's 6 inches long.
- Dip bread into beaten egg then coat in panko, making sure to cover all sides. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and loosely cover with a clean kitchen towel. Repeat with the remaining dough. Let proof for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.
- Meanwhile, make lobster salad. Combine lobster with cooked corn, kewpie mayonnaise, lemon juice, and hot mustard. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Heat frying oil to 325 degrees F.
- Working in batches at a time, carefully drop the bread into the oil. Flip the bread over a few times while it's frying to get all sides evenly browned. You may need to hold it down to help even browning. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on paper towel-lined plates to drain excess oil. Repeat with remaining bread.
- Cut a slit on the top of the bread rolls and fill with lobster salad. Top with chopped cucumber and serve immediately.
Notes
Watch how to make this:
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The Inspiration
The first time I went to Taiwan, I discovered the most amazing fried egg and ham sandwich. It's a simple sandwich made from soy-marinated eggs, thick ham, fresh tomato slices, and cucumber. But what makes the sandwich so special is the fried bread. It reminds me of Korean croquette bread where the inside is soft and fluffy while the outside has a crispy panko coating. Now every time I visit Taiwan, I make sure to get at least 2 of these sandwiches.
Since it'll probably be a while until I get to visit again, I decided to try making the bread myself. And as much as I love the original version, I decided to give it a summer spin and add a scallion and corn lobster filling. The result was such a big success that I ate not one, not two, but three of these sandwiches in one sitting. Yes, they are that good and I hope you'll agree when you try these rolls!
The Ingredients
- Bread flour: Unlike all-purpose flour, bread flour has a higher protein content which results in a lighter and chewier texture. You can use all-purpose flour if you can't find bread flour, but the texture will be slightly different.
- Milk: The milk, eggs, and butter all help contribute to the bread's soft texture and rich flavor. I used 2% milk, but you can use whole milk or nonfat. Use unsalted butter, or if using salted butter, reduce the amount of salt by half.
- Panko: This type of breadcrumbs has a lighter, crispier texture than regular breadcrumbs. They are also bigger flakes, giving the bread that crunchy exterior.
- Lobster: I steamed fresh lobster to create the lobster salad filling. However, you can use precooked lobster or use other seafood, such as shrimp, scallops, or crab.
- Corn kernels: Use fresh corn if you can for the best results.
- Kewpie: A Japanese mayonnaise with a unique umami taste with a hint of sweetness. If you can't find kewpie, use regular mayonnaise instead and add a pinch of sugar.
- Japanese hot mustard: A type of mustard with a sharp, pungent, spicy flavor. It is more potent than traditional yellow mustard or Dijon; however, you can use Dijon mustard instead if you prefer.
How to Make Scallion and Corn Lobster Rolls
Step 1: Prepare Bread Dough
Let's start by making the most important part of this sandwich, the bread itself. In a bowl, combine warm milk with honey and active dry yeast, allowing the mixture to sit for 10 minutes until the yeast activates and creates a foamy texture. You can also use granulated sugar instead of honey but I like the flavor that honey contributes.
Next, mix in bread flour, an egg, salt, and softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. Knead the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic, which should take around 7-8 minutes. If you don't have a stand mixer, you can knead the dough with your hands. It will take longer but there's just something so satisfying about using your hands sometimes.
Transfer the dough to a separate bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it proof in a warm area for approximately 1 hour or until it doubles in size.
Step 2: Shape Dough
After the dough has been proofed, gently punch it down and divide it into 8 equal portions, rolling each portion into a ball shape. Cover the dough balls loosely with a clean kitchen towel and let them rest for 15 minutes. Meanwhile in a large bowl, beat the remaining egg, and in a separate bowl, place the panko breadcrumbs.
Taking one dough portion at a time, flatten it into a rectangular shape. Starting from the long side facing you, roll the dough into a log, pinching the seams closed. Roll the log until it reaches a length of 6 inches. Dip each bread roll into the beaten egg, ensuring all sides are coated, and then roll it in the panko breadcrumbs, fully covering the surface. Place the coated rolls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and loosely cover them with a clean kitchen towel. Allow the rolls to proof for approximately 45 minutes or until they double in size.
If you're preparing the dough the night before, transfer the shaped panko-crusted dough to the fridge and chill overnight. Then, the following day, let the dough come to room temperature, about 1 hour, before frying.
While the dough is proofing, it's time to prepare the delectable lobster salad. In a bowl, combine cooked lobster with cooked corn kernels, kewpie mayonnaise, lemon juice, and Japanese hot mustard. Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste, and set it aside.
If you're cooking fresh lobster, you can cook the lobster during the first bread proof and assemble the salad during the second proof.
Step 3: Fry Bread
Once the rolls have been proofed for the second time, it's time to fry the bread. Heat frying oil to 325 degrees F, and carefully drop the bread rolls into the oil in batches.
To ensure that all sides of the bread are evenly browned, flip them over a few times during frying. The rolls will float to the top so you may need to hold the rolls down using a slotted spoon.
I found that it was easiest to fry two rolls at a time so that I can carefully keep an eye on them. If you have a frying basket this can also help keep rolls submerged.
Once fried, transfer the bread rolls to plates lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil. Let the bread sit for 2-3 minutes before making the sandwiches.
If you're making the bread ahead of time, let them cool completely and store them in an airtight container. You can reheat the rolls in the air fryer at 400 degrees or in the oven at 400 degrees until warm.
Step 4: Assemble Sandwiches
Finally, it's time to assemble the sandwiches. Cut a slit on the top of each bread roll and fill it with the prepared lobster salad. Top the sandwiches with finely chopped Persian cucumber for an added crunch and serve the scallion and corn lobster rolls immediately.
These lobster rolls reminded me of the Taiwanese sandwiches but with a fresher take. The bread is spot on with the perfect texture of soft and crunchy and the sweet, refreshing lobster and corn salad just makes the bread even better. Now it's time to make a big batch of these sandwich rolls for next time!
FAQs
Can I use a different type of seafood instead of lobster?
While lobster is the star ingredient of the filling, you can use other seafood like crab, shrimp, or a combination of different seafood. You can also go wild and use the rolls for hot dogs, meatball subs, or an egg and ham sandwich like the one in Taiwan.
Can I bake the bread instead of frying it?
Although frying is the best option, you can bake the bread instead. Generously spray the rolls with cooking spray and bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
Can I adjust the recipe to make fewer or more bread rolls?
Absolutely! You can divide the recipe in half to yield only 4 rolls or double it. I do suggest making a full batch of 8 rolls instead of 4 because they're just that tasty.
For more seafood sandwich recipe inspiration check out this shrimp, avocado, and crab mayo sandwich!
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