Japanese Potato Salad

Method

1. 1
   • cucumber1
   • onion½
   • salt1 tsp

   Salt the cucumber and onion — Toss the sliced cucumber and onion with half the salt in a bowl and leave for 10 minutes. They will weep a surprising amount of water, which is exactly the point.

   ⏱10 min
2. 2
   • potato700 g
   • carrot1

   Boil the potato and carrot — Put the potato and carrot in a pan of cold salted water, bring to a boil and simmer for 13-15 minutes, until the potato is soft enough to crush against the side of the pan.

   ⏱15 min
3. 3
   • egg2

   Hard-boil the eggs — Meanwhile lower the eggs into a second pan of simmering water and cook for 9 minutes for firm yolks. Cool them under cold running water, peel and chop roughly.

   ⏱9 min
4. 4
   • potato700 g
   • carrot1
   • salt1 tsp
   • rice vinegar2 tbsp
   • white sugar½ tsp
   • black pepper¼ tsp

   Season and mash while hot — Drain the potato and carrot well and return them to the dry pan over low heat for a minute to drive off the steam. While still hot, sprinkle over the rice vinegar, sugar, black pepper and the rest of the salt, then mash about half the potato with a fork, leaving plenty of lumps.

5. 5
   • potato700 g
   • mayonnaise5 tbsp

   Cool before dressing — Spread the potato out and let it cool to just warm, about 15 minutes. Folding mayonnaise into hot potato will split it into an oily mess.

   ⏱15 min
6. 6
   • potato700 g
   • cucumber1
   • onion½
   • salt1 tsp
   • egg2
   • mayonnaise5 tbsp

   Fold in the mayonnaise — Squeeze the cucumber and onion dry in your hands and fold them into the potato with the chopped egg and the mayonnaise. Taste for salt and serve cool or at room temperature.