The Inkigayo Sandwich featuring cabbage- and potato salad & strawberry jam is beloved by many K-Pop idols. First served at the cafeteria of Korea’s broadcasting station SBS, the sandwich quickly became a viral phenomenon. Today, I’m showing you how you can make Korea’s most famous sandwich at home!
What does Inkigayo mean?
“Inkigayo” is the name of a popular music show by the Korean broadcasting station SBS. On the show, K-Pop idols would perform on stage every week to promote their new songs. The cafeteria at SBS first came up with the idea for the “Inkigayo Sandwich” combining potato salad, imitation crab meat and cabbage, and a little bit of strawberry jam. K-Pop idols quickly became obsessed with the simple yet flavorful recipe. Groups like Seventeen, BTS, and G-Friend shared their love for the sandwich on social media and made it a viral phenomenon. It even became so famous that convenience stores in Korea started selling their version of it.
There are many myths about this sandwich. For example, it is rumored that idols use the sandwich to secretly pass phone numbers. Dating in the K-Pop industry is still widely considered taboo, which is why idols tend to look for discrete ways to get in contact with other idols they are interested in.
Any questions?
If you have any questions about making the “Inkigayo Sandwich”, feel free to contact me on Instagram.
Did you recreate this recipe? Don’t forget to tag me in your post or story when you share your pictures. Can’t wait to see your version!
Inkigayo Sandwich (인기가요 샌드위치)
Ingredients
- 8 slices toast bread
- 3 eggs
- 3 large white potatoes
- 1 glass pickles (optional)
- 2-4 sticks imitation crab meat
- 1/4 green cabbage
- strawberry jam
- mayonnaise
- ketchup
- salt & pepper
- plastic foil
Instructions
- Boil the eggs for 10-12 minutes. Hold under cold running water and shell. In a medium-sized bowl, mash eggs.
- Wash potatoes under cold, running water and slice in quarters. In a small pot, heat about 1 liter of water. When the water comes to a boil, add potatoes and about half a teaspoon of salt. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until soft. Let the potatoes sit to cool down.
- In the meantime, cut pickles into fine pieces.
- Peel potatoes and add them to a large mixing bowl. Mash potatoes and add pickles, eggs, and 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise. Add a pinch of salt and a few shakes of pepper and mix until all ingredients are well combined. Set the potato salad aside.
- Shred the green cabbage using a knife or peeler. Pull the imitation crab meat apart into fine strings. Mix both ingredients in a mixing bowl, together with one tablespoon of mayonnaise and one tablespoon of ketchup. Set aside.
- Cut the crust off of the bread slices.
- On one bread slice, add about one tablespoon of the potato salad and spread evenly. Top it off with another slice of bread. Add a thin layer of strawberry jam and top it off with another slice of bread. Add the cabbage salad and add a final slice of bread on top.
- Wrap the sandwich tightly in plastic foil and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes.
- Slice the sandwich in half to eat immediately, or store in the fridge for later.