This was inspired by an episode of Midnight Diner that streams on Netflix.
INGREDIENTS:
2 russet potatoes (1.15 lb)
2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt (for cooking the potatoes)
¼ cup frozen or canned corn
1 large egg (50 g each w/o shell) HARD BOILED
1 Persian cucumber (or ½ Japanese cucumber; 3 oz, 90 g)
2 inches carrot (2 oz, 60 g)
1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt (divided; for the cucumber and carrot)
2 slices Black Forest ham (1.9 oz, 54 g)
For the Seasonings:
1 Tbsp rice vinegar (unseasoned) (or use ½ Tbsp lemon juice/apple cider/Champagne/white wine vinegar)
freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
6 Tbsp Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise (add two-thirds first, then taste and add more, as desired)
DIRECTIONS:
Peel, cut, and boil the potatoes until a skewer pierces a potato smoothly, about 15 minutes.
While cooking the potatoes, cut all the rest of the ingredients and prep them.
Mash the cooked potatoes and mix them with other ingredients.
Season the potato mixture with Japanese kewpie mayo.
Chill and serve.
6 Helpful Tips When Making Potato Salad
Cut ingredients into a bite-sized, uniform shape – Because of the smooth texture of the smashed potatoes, you‘ll want to cut the other ingredients in small pieces so they incorporate well.
Remove excess moisture from all ingredients – Excess moisture will ruin the texture and flavors of potato salad. So it‘s key to withdraw the moisture from cucumbers, carrots, and potatoes before mixing them all together.
Add seasonings to hot potatoes – The potatoes will absorb flavors well when they are still warm. So add rice vinegar, salt, and pepper, except for the mayonnaise! Read next.
Let the potatoes cool – Hold on to the mayo. If you mix mayonnaise while the potatoes are hot, the mayonnaise will separate. Therefore, work on the other ingredients while the potatoes cool down. It‘s a good idea to start cooking the potatoes first to give them plenty of cooling time.
Gradually add mayonnaise – We all want to use less mayonnaise, but it is the main flavor so you just can‘t skimp here. I suggest adding just two-thirds of the mayo first, then taste to see if you want to add the rest. A sprinkle of salt can bring out the flavors you need.
Chill the potato salad before serving – Not only does it taste better, but chilling also gives time for the flavors to meld together.
Gather all the ingredients.
To Prepare the Potatoes
Peel 2 russet potatoes and cut them into 1½-inch (3.8 cm) pieces (I usually cut one russet potato into four pieces). They should be roughly the same size so that they’ll cook evenly.
Put the potatoes in a medium pot and add cold water to cover by 1 inch (2.5 cm). Add 2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt to the pot and turn on the heat to medium high. Cover with the lid, leaving it slightly ajar to avoid a boil-over. Tip: Start cooking the potatoes in cold water to heat them up slowly so they cook through evenly. While you‘re cooking and cooling the potatoes, prepare the other ingredients (see next section).
Once the water is boiling, remove the lid and reduce the heat to medium. Cook on a gentle boil until a skewer pierces a potato smoothly, about 15 minutes.
Drain the water completely from the pot using the lid to hold back the potatoes. Put the pot with the potatoes back onto the stove over medium heat to evaporate any remaining water completely, shaking the pot constantly to avoid sticking. When there is no liquid left, remove the pot from the heat.
Mash the potatoes lightly, leaving some small chunks for texture. Transfer the potatoes to a large bowl.
While the potatoes are hot, add 1 Tbsp rice vinegar (unseasoned) and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside to cool.
To Prepare the Other Ingredients
While the potatoes are cooking, bring a small pot of water to a boil. Boil ¼ cup frozen or canned corn for 5 minutes (or follow the package instructions.)
Drain the corn in a fine-mesh sieve and set aside to cool. Add 1 large egg (50 g each w/o shell) to the same pot and add enough cold water to cover by 1 inch. Turn on the heat to medium and bring to a boil. Once boiling, set a timer for 11–12 minutes and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
When the timer goes off, shock the egg in cold water until cool. Remove and discard the shell.
Slice the boiled egg and chop it into smaller pieces. Set aside to cool.
Peel 1 Persian cucumber (leave some skin on to create a striped pattern), and thinly slice it. Tip: If you‘re using a large cucumber, you may need to cut it in half or quarters lengthwise before slicing it.
Cut 2 inches carrot in half or quarters lengthwise, and then cut into super-thin slices. You may use a mandoline slicer to cut it thinly. An alternative option: If your slices are very thick, salting in the next step may not work. Instead, cover them with water and blanch in a saucepan or microwave for a few minutes until a skewer can pierce the carrot smoothly; don’t overcook them or they will get mushy. Drain the water and let cool. If you use this method, skip the salting process.
Sprinkle half of 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt over the cucumber slices, knead them with your hands, and let them stand until they release their moisture, about 5 minutes. Tip: Salt draws out moisture from the vegetables through osmosis. This process keeps them from releasing moisture into the salad and diluting the flavors.
Sprinkle the other half of 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt over the carrot slices, knead them with your hands, and let them stand until they release their moisture, about 5–7 minutes.
Put the cucumber and carrot slices in a sieve and quickly rinse under cold running water to remove the salt.
Squeeze the cucumber and carrot slices to remove any moisture and set aside.
Cut 2 slices Black Forest ham into 1-inch (2.5-cm) thin strips and set aside.
To Assemble:
Add all the ingredients to the bowl of the cooled potatoes and mix all together.
Add two-thirds of 6 Tbsp Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise and combine well.
Taste to see if you want to add more mayonnaise. I added the remaining one-third of it. Refrigerate the potato salad for 30–60 minutes before serving.
To Serve:
You can pair this versatle Japanese Potato Salad with just about anything. I like to serve it with Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken) and Hambagu (Japanese Hamburger Steak). For a barbecue or potluck, see my list of Japanese recipes that go perfectly with this potato salad. It‘s a classic addition to your bento lunchbox, too! If you have leftovers, try making my childhood favorite Potato Salad Pork Rolls.
INGREDIENTS:
2 russet potatoes (1.15 lb)
2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt (for cooking the potatoes)
¼ cup frozen or canned corn
1 large egg (50 g each w/o shell) HARD BOILED
1 Persian cucumber (or ½ Japanese cucumber; 3 oz, 90 g)
2 inches carrot (2 oz, 60 g)
1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt (divided; for the cucumber and carrot)
2 slices Black Forest ham (1.9 oz, 54 g)
For the Seasonings:
1 Tbsp rice vinegar (unseasoned) (or use ½ Tbsp lemon juice/apple cider/Champagne/white wine vinegar)
freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
6 Tbsp Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise (add two-thirds first, then taste and add more, as desired)
DIRECTIONS:
Peel, cut, and boil the potatoes until a skewer pierces a potato smoothly, about 15 minutes.
While cooking the potatoes, cut all the rest of the ingredients and prep them.
Mash the cooked potatoes and mix them with other ingredients.
Season the potato mixture with Japanese kewpie mayo.
Chill and serve.
6 Helpful Tips When Making Potato Salad
Cut ingredients into a bite-sized, uniform shape – Because of the smooth texture of the smashed potatoes, you‘ll want to cut the other ingredients in small pieces so they incorporate well.
Remove excess moisture from all ingredients – Excess moisture will ruin the texture and flavors of potato salad. So it‘s key to withdraw the moisture from cucumbers, carrots, and potatoes before mixing them all together.
Add seasonings to hot potatoes – The potatoes will absorb flavors well when they are still warm. So add rice vinegar, salt, and pepper, except for the mayonnaise! Read next.
Let the potatoes cool – Hold on to the mayo. If you mix mayonnaise while the potatoes are hot, the mayonnaise will separate. Therefore, work on the other ingredients while the potatoes cool down. It‘s a good idea to start cooking the potatoes first to give them plenty of cooling time.
Gradually add mayonnaise – We all want to use less mayonnaise, but it is the main flavor so you just can‘t skimp here. I suggest adding just two-thirds of the mayo first, then taste to see if you want to add the rest. A sprinkle of salt can bring out the flavors you need.
Chill the potato salad before serving – Not only does it taste better, but chilling also gives time for the flavors to meld together.
Gather all the ingredients.
To Prepare the Potatoes
Peel 2 russet potatoes and cut them into 1½-inch (3.8 cm) pieces (I usually cut one russet potato into four pieces). They should be roughly the same size so that they’ll cook evenly.
Put the potatoes in a medium pot and add cold water to cover by 1 inch (2.5 cm). Add 2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt to the pot and turn on the heat to medium high. Cover with the lid, leaving it slightly ajar to avoid a boil-over. Tip: Start cooking the potatoes in cold water to heat them up slowly so they cook through evenly. While you‘re cooking and cooling the potatoes, prepare the other ingredients (see next section).
Once the water is boiling, remove the lid and reduce the heat to medium. Cook on a gentle boil until a skewer pierces a potato smoothly, about 15 minutes.
Drain the water completely from the pot using the lid to hold back the potatoes. Put the pot with the potatoes back onto the stove over medium heat to evaporate any remaining water completely, shaking the pot constantly to avoid sticking. When there is no liquid left, remove the pot from the heat.
Mash the potatoes lightly, leaving some small chunks for texture. Transfer the potatoes to a large bowl.
While the potatoes are hot, add 1 Tbsp rice vinegar (unseasoned) and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside to cool.
To Prepare the Other Ingredients
While the potatoes are cooking, bring a small pot of water to a boil. Boil ¼ cup frozen or canned corn for 5 minutes (or follow the package instructions.)
Drain the corn in a fine-mesh sieve and set aside to cool. Add 1 large egg (50 g each w/o shell) to the same pot and add enough cold water to cover by 1 inch. Turn on the heat to medium and bring to a boil. Once boiling, set a timer for 11–12 minutes and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
When the timer goes off, shock the egg in cold water until cool. Remove and discard the shell.
Slice the boiled egg and chop it into smaller pieces. Set aside to cool.
Peel 1 Persian cucumber (leave some skin on to create a striped pattern), and thinly slice it. Tip: If you‘re using a large cucumber, you may need to cut it in half or quarters lengthwise before slicing it.
Cut 2 inches carrot in half or quarters lengthwise, and then cut into super-thin slices. You may use a mandoline slicer to cut it thinly. An alternative option: If your slices are very thick, salting in the next step may not work. Instead, cover them with water and blanch in a saucepan or microwave for a few minutes until a skewer can pierce the carrot smoothly; don’t overcook them or they will get mushy. Drain the water and let cool. If you use this method, skip the salting process.
Sprinkle half of 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt over the cucumber slices, knead them with your hands, and let them stand until they release their moisture, about 5 minutes. Tip: Salt draws out moisture from the vegetables through osmosis. This process keeps them from releasing moisture into the salad and diluting the flavors.
Sprinkle the other half of 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt over the carrot slices, knead them with your hands, and let them stand until they release their moisture, about 5–7 minutes.
Put the cucumber and carrot slices in a sieve and quickly rinse under cold running water to remove the salt.
Squeeze the cucumber and carrot slices to remove any moisture and set aside.
Cut 2 slices Black Forest ham into 1-inch (2.5-cm) thin strips and set aside.
To Assemble:
Add all the ingredients to the bowl of the cooled potatoes and mix all together.
Add two-thirds of 6 Tbsp Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise and combine well.
Taste to see if you want to add more mayonnaise. I added the remaining one-third of it. Refrigerate the potato salad for 30–60 minutes before serving.
To Serve:
You can pair this versatle Japanese Potato Salad with just about anything. I like to serve it with Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken) and Hambagu (Japanese Hamburger Steak). For a barbecue or potluck, see my list of Japanese recipes that go perfectly with this potato salad. It‘s a classic addition to your bento lunchbox, too! If you have leftovers, try making my childhood favorite Potato Salad Pork Rolls.
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