Japanese Potato Salad

Step 1

Put potatoes in a saucepan and add water to cover the potatoes sufficiently. Turn the heat on high and bring to a simmer.

Step 2

Cook potatoes until a bamboo skewer or a thin knife can get through to the centre of the potatoes easily. This will take 15-40 minutes depending on the size of the potatoes (note 3).

Step 3

Slice cucumber thinly into 2mm (1/16”) slices (note 4). Sprinkle with a pinch of salt over the cucumber slices and leave them for 10 minutes. The cucumber should become wet and soft. Rinse and squeeze out excess water.

Step 4

Cut the onion in half crosswise, then slice as thinly as possible lengthwise. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over the onion slices and leave them for 10 minutes. Rinse and squeeze out excess water.

Step 5

Cut the carrot into quarters lengthwise (note 5), then slice 2mm (1/16”) thick perpendicular to the initial cut. Boil the carrot slices in a small saucepan for few minutes until tender. Drain.

Step 6

Cut sliced ham into about 3cm x 5mm (1⅛” x ⅜”) pieces.

Step 7

Dice boiled eggs into 5mm (3/8”) cubes (note 6).

Step 8

When the potatoes are cooked, drain into a colander. Peel the potatoes immediately and place them into the saucepan just emptied. It is very hot so use a cloth or layers of kitchen paper to hold the potatoes.

Step 9

Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes half way leaving some chunks of potatoes. Then cool down to at least close to room temperature.

Step 10

Add cucumber, onion, carrot, mayonnaise, mustard, freshly ground pepper (few twists) and a couple of pinches of salt to the potato. Using a round wooden spoon, mix well.

Step 11

Reserve a tablespoon of cubed boiled egg for decoration, add the rest of the boiled egg to the potato and gently mix.

Step 12

Place a mound of potato salad on a serving plate or in a bowl with green leaf lettuce on the side. Sprinkle the remaining boiled egg over the potato salad.