Toast the bread until pleasantly crisp, so it stays crunchy when topped with the egg salad. If you’re using a toaster oven, flip the toast halfway through so it gets dark on both sides.

While the bread is toasting, cut the tea eggs into small pieces with a knife, then mash slightly with a fork. You want roughly 1/4” cubes, though don’t sweat this too much. Mix with 1 tbsp Kewpie mayo, lemon juice, and pepper. Adjust seasoning to taste, adding more mayo if you’d like a creamier salad.

As soon as the toast is done, top each slice with half of the egg salad and cut in half on the diagonal. Garnish with the sliced chives and serve immediately.