Recipe for Japanese potato salad, "potato salada".
Japanese potato salad has its roots in Western potato salads, particularly those from Europe. It was adapted to Japanese tastes after Japan opened up to the West at the end of the 19th century, during the Meiji era. The Japanese modified the recipe to suit their preferences, using Japanese mayonnaise and vegetables commonly used in Japan. Japanese mayonnaise, particularly Vendor Kewpie, plays a crucial role in poteto salada's unique flavor. Introduced to Japan in 1925, Kewpie mayonnaise is milder and creamier than Western mayonnaise, thanks to the use of egg yolks only and rice vinegar. This gives Japanese potato salad its smooth texture and distinctive taste.
- Prep Time
- 20 minutes
- Cooking Time
- 15 minutes
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
- 4 medium-sized potatoes (approx. 600g)
- 1 medium carrot
- 1/2 cucumber
- 1/4 onion
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup Japanese mayonnaise (like Kewpie)
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Peel the potatoes and cut into equal-sized pieces. Cook the potatoes in a large pot of boiling salted water for about 15 minutes, or until tender. Drain the potatoes and mash coarsely with a fork, leaving a few chunks for texture.
- Peel and finely dice the carrot. Cook the diced carrot in a small pot of boiling salted water for about 5 minutes, or until tender. Drain and set aside.
- Cut the cucumber into thin slices. If the cucumber is very watery, sprinkle with salt and leave for 10 minutes, then squeeze to remove excess water.
- Thinly slice the onion and rinse in cold water to soften the taste. Drain well.
- Hard-boil the eggs in a pan of boiling water for about 10 minutes. Shell the eggs and cut into small pieces.
- In a large bowl, combine mashed potatoes, diced carrot, cucumber slices, onion slices and egg pieces.
- In a small bowl, combine the Japanese mayonnaise, rice vinegar and sugar. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Pour the sauce over the vegetables and toss gently until all ingredients are well coated.
- Cover the bowl and leave the potato salad to rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavours to mingle. Enjoy!
