Super SandwicheS

acidity to my final product. But if you’re trying to impress guests, I’d suggest using a charcoal loaf because it’s quite interesting aesthetically.

The next thing you need to determine is the type of sandwich you want to make. You can always make something simple like a tuna melt or grilled cheese. If you do, then aim to use the best ingredients you can find. For example, all you need to do is figure out what the main ingredient is in your simple sandwich. If it’s cheese, buy good cheese — don’t use singles. Buy something that you need to grate or cut yourself because chances are they’d taste far better than processed cheese.

If it is egg or tuna, make sure you use free range eggs or good quality tuna and ensure that real mayonnaise is used to flavour your egg and tuna. There is fake mayonnaise out there; they tend to be under RM10 per jar.

If you want to make something a little nicer, then you’ll need to determine what type of meat and vegetables you want to use. Then it’s a matter of balancing your main ingredients with the right sauces and spreads. This, of course is really up to your taste bud. But there are some rules.

When working with beef, try and pair it with vegetables that won’t be lost in relation to its strong flavour and texture. Use things like roasted red peppers and eggplants instead of lettuce. Also, it’s advisable to pair it with something that will complement the strong aroma of the beef, like mustard or horseradish sauce. Even the cheese you use shouldn’t be too mild — strong cheddar would pair great with beef compared to mozzarella.

When working with main ingredients like salmon, try pairing it with refreshing ingredients to combat the fishy smell and flavour. Try your best to use things like rocket or radishes and squeeze a lemon on top to get a little acidity in there.

You could also make a vegetarian sandwich, but try and use meatier vegetables to give your sandwich more bite. Mushrooms and eggplants are great. And play it up a bit by adding some herbs or vinegar to your vegetables to create a far more complex “dish”. I personally like balsamic, tomatoes and thyme as a combination or eggplant and rosemary with apple cider vinegar.

That said, you’re the master of your own sandwich. You can create it however you want. But try your best to experiment once in a while. It’s a great reason to and it certainly would be nicer than the RM3 option that you end up grabbing from the convenience store.