Chinatown Breakfast Sandwich from Made Here

"Like most of Golden Diner's menu, the genius of the Chinatown Breakfast Sando lies in Sam's ability to deliver an excellent version of a universal classic, infused with a hyperspecificity of time and place that grounds everything in his love for this neighborhood. 'For us, it was important to keep the nods,' he said, 'and tell the stories and traditions of our neighborhood and the community around us.'"

- Made Here

Some days you really wanna please yourself, and those days are the best days. This Chinatown breakfast sandwich with cheesy eggs and hash browns will do just that! It takes all the best things: warm toasted bread, a soft-cooked egg with cheese, and a crunchy hash brown, and puts them together.

Sam Yoo of Golden Diner knows exactly what I mean. He grew up going to Parisi Bakery in Little Italy, eating their potato and egg sandwich.

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Made Here

This Chinatown breakfast sandwich with cheesy eggs and hash browns comes from Made Here: Recipes & Reflections From NYC's Asian Communities by Send Chinatown Love.

When asked about the menu for Golden Diner in Manhattan, Sam Yoo shared:

I chose the items that I thought resonated most with what everyone thinks of as classic diner food, and from there, thought about what makes sense here, and how to reinterpret it in a way that honors our neighborhood.

Chinatown Breakfast Sandwich

Ingredients

• vinegar - white vinegar for the potato brine
• salt
• potatoes - russet potatoes are preferred
• oil - any neutral cooking oil will work
• buns - we're using homemade sesame scallion milk buns, also from the cookbook, but you can use whatever bun you like
• eggs - 6 large eggs for the perfect breakfast sandwiches
• butter
• cheese - American cheese, please

Equipment

• prep bowls
• measuring cup
• measuring spoons
• spoon
• box grater
• kitchen scale
• pan with steamer insert or InstantPot
• sheet pan
• parchment paper
• butcher block or second sheet pan
• Santoku knife
• Dutch oven
• slotted spoon or spider strainer
• wire rack or paper towel-lined plate
• whisk
• pan
• spatula

Mix the Vinegar, Salt, and Water

Wash your hands with soap and water. Use a measuring cup to add the vinegar and water to a large bowl. Use a kitchen scale to weigh the salt and add it to the bowl. Mix it with a spoon until the salt has dissolved.

Shred the Potatoes

Wash the potatoes under water. Use a box grater to shred them. Place the shredded potatoes in a bowl and rinse them under cold water. Use your fingers to agitate them while rinsing to release the starch.

Drain the potatoes and transfer them to the bowl with the vinegar brine. Let them sit in the brine for 30 minutes. Strain the potatoes and discard the brine.

Steam the Potatoes

Steam the potatoes for 8 to 10 minutes or until fully cooked and tender.

Let the Potatoes Set

Spread the potatoes evenly onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Place a second piece of parchment paper on top of the potatoes. Place a second sheet pan or butcher block on top to press on the potatoes.

If using a sheet pan, evenly distribute some weight on top of the pan to compress the potatoes. Place the potatoes in the fridge for 6 hours or overnight to set.

Fry the Potatoes

Remove the potatoes from the fridge and slice them into 4-inch squares.

Heat a Dutch oven with oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Add a few potato squares at a time to the pot and fry for 5 to 6 minutes, until golden-brown all over.

Remove the hash browns from the pot using a spider strainer and transfer them to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate. Turn off the stove when finished.

Prep the Buns

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice the buns in half and place them on a sheet pan. Place the pan in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes, until the buns have warmed. Turn off the oven when finished.

Cook the Eggs

Crack the eggs into a medium bowl. Wash your hands. Whisk the eggs. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the eggs and swirl them around the pan to distribute them evenly. Season with salt.

Add the Cheese

Once the eggs begin to set, place the cheese over top in an even layer. Use a spatula to drag and fold the contents of the pan. The cheese will melt into the eggs as they cook. If the eggs begin to brown, lower the heat. Once the eggs have set but are still glossy, remove them from the heat. Turn off the stove.

Build the Sandwich

Place some of the eggs on the bottom half of the bun. Place a hash brown on top. Add toppings of your choice, such as bacon or sriracha. Place the top bun on your breakfast sandwich. Enjoy immediately.