Japanese Potato Salad

Japanese potato salad has a mild, creamy flavor, with no acidic undertone; unlike American or German style potato salads, no vinegar is used. It's seasoned only with salt and a little pepper, and lots and lots of mayonnaise, and is just a bit sweet from the other vegetables mixed in - boiled carrots, thinly sliced cucumber, and onion. Some people even add a little sugar. Chopped boiled egg adds to the richness. It's really designed to go well with rice (as are most Japanese savory dishes).

Ingredients

1. 3 medium boiling (firm) potatoes, well scrubbed
2. 1 small carrot
3. About 10 cm / 4 inches of a seedless cucumber
4. 1 small onion
5. 1 egg
6. Salt and pepper
7. 3/4 to 1 cup of mayonnaise, Japanese or homemade preferred

Directions

1. Boil the carrot, egg, and the potatoes(unpeeled) until tender.
2. While those are cooking, slice the cucumber and the onion very thinly. Sprinkle both with a little salt, and let sit for about 10 minutes or until the vegetables exude their juices. Squeeze the vegtable firmly to get rid of any remaining liquid.
3. When the potatoes and carrot are done and still hot, remove from the water and peel them. Cut the potatoes into small pieces, and slice the carrot. Toss with a little salt and pepper and leave to cool.
4. Peel the hard boiled egg and chop finely.
5. When the potatoes and carrot mixture has cooled to room temperature, mix in the cucumber, onion, and egg. Mix in the mayonnaise. Cover with plastic wrap and cool in the refrigerator until serving time (at least one hour).

Notes

If you are bringing this to a picnic be sure to pack it in a cooler - it will keep better, and taste better chilled than at room temperature. If you are packing it in an obento box, make sure the rice and other ingredients have cooled before tucking in the salad, or carry the salad in a separate container.