Ingredients

   
500g russet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 large egg
80g cucumber, thinly sliced
50g carrot, thinly sliced
50g ham, cut into strips
15ml rice vinegar
60g Kewpie mayonnaise
5g sugar
  Kosher salt
  Black pepper

Steps

  1. Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain.

  2. While hot, add rice vinegar and mash roughly — leave some chunks for texture.

  3. Hard-boil the egg. Peel and chop.

  4. Salt cucumber slices and let sit for 5 minutes. Squeeze out excess water.

  5. Blanch carrot slices in boiling water for 1 minute. Drain and cool.

  6. Once potatoes are cool, fold in cucumber, carrot, ham, egg, mayonnaise, and sugar. Season with salt and pepper.

  7. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • Add the vinegar while the potatoes are still hot — they absorb it better.
  • Kewpie mayo is essential. Regular mayo is too tangy and not rich enough.
  • The texture should be chunky, not smooth. Mash about two-thirds, leave the rest in pieces.
  • Salting and squeezing the cucumber prevents the salad from getting watery.
  • Corn is a common addition. Onion too, if you like it.