Japanese Potato Salad

Method12 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Put all 800 g whole, skin-on starchy potatoes (800 g) in a saucepan and add enough water to cover them well. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Prepare steps 3–7 while the potatoes cook.

   Uses 800 g starchy potatoes, whole with skin on · Water to cover the whole potatoes for cooking; discarded

2. 2

   Step 2: Simmer the potatoes from step 1 until a skewer or thin knife passes easily through the center, about 15–40 minutes depending on their size. Check tenderness within that guide and continue if needed.

   Cook the whole potatoes until tender · 40 minUses complete batch of potatoes in simmering water

3. 3

   Step 3: Slice all 90 g cucumber about 2 mm thick. If it is wide, halve or quarter it lengthwise first. Sprinkle with one pinch of salt and leave for 10 minutes until wet and softened. Rinse and squeeze out the moisture.

   Soften salted cucumber · 10 minUses 90 g cucumber · 1 pinch salt for the cucumber · Water for rinsing the salted cucumber; discarded

4. 4

   Step 4: Halve all 90 g onion crosswise, then slice as thinly as possible lengthwise. Sprinkle with one pinch of salt and leave for 10 minutes. Rinse and squeeze out the moisture.

   Soften salted onion · 10 minUses 90 g onion · 1 pinch salt for the onion · Water for rinsing the salted onion; discarded

5. 5

   Step 5: Cut all 90 g carrot lengthwise into quarters, or halves for a thin carrot, then into slices about 2 mm thick. Boil in a separate small saucepan of water for a few minutes until tender, then drain and discard the water.

   Uses 90 g carrot · Water for separately boiling the carrot slices; discarded

6. 6

   Step 6: Cut all 50 g ready ham into pieces about 3 cm long and 5 mm wide. Keep for mixing into the salad.

   Uses 50 g ready-to-eat unsmoked ham, thinly sliced

7. 7

   Step 7: Dice both ready boiled eggs (2) into cubes about 5 mm across. Keep all the diced egg for step 11.

   Uses 2 ready boiled eggs

8. 8

   Step 8: When the potatoes from step 2 are tender, drain them and discard the water. Peel while hot, holding each potato with a cloth or folded kitchen paper to protect your hands, and return the peeled potatoes to the emptied saucepan.

   Uses complete batch of cooked whole potatoes

9. 9

   Step 9: Roughly mash the hot peeled potatoes from step 8, leaving small chunks. Let them cool close to room temperature before mixing in the dressing.

   Uses complete peeled cooked potato batch

10. 10

    Step 10: Add all the squeezed cucumber from step 3, squeezed onion from step 4, drained tender carrots from step 5 and cut ham from step 6 to the cooled potatoes from step 9. Mix in all 6 tbsp Kewpie mayonnaise, 2 tsp Dijon mustard, a few twists of white pepper and a couple of pinches of salt (2 pinches).

    Uses complete squeezed salted cucumber · complete squeezed salted onion · complete drained cooked carrot slices · complete cut ready ham · complete cooled roughly mashed potatoes · 6 tbsp Kewpie mayonnaise · 2 tsp Dijon mustard · White pepper, a few twists to season

    
11. 11

    Step 11: Take the diced boiled egg from step 7 and reserve 1 tbsp for decoration. Gently mix all the rest into the complete potato salad from step 10, keeping the reserved tablespoon separate.

    Uses All diced boiled egg except 1 tbsp reserved for decoration · complete dressed potato salad before adding egg

12. 12

    Step 12: Mound the complete egg-mixed salad from step 11 on a plate or in a bowl with green lettuce leaves alongside. Sprinkle over all the separate 1 tbsp diced egg reserved in step 11 and serve four salad portions.

    Uses complete egg-mixed potato salad · All of the separately reserved 1 tbsp diced boiled egg · Green leaf lettuce leaves to serve, as needed