Potato Salad, Japanese style

By jeaklor

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 Ibs. large potatoes
• 1/2 lb. large carrots
• 1 teaspoon granulated chicken stock powder
• 2/3 cup cucumber
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup onion
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• salt and coarsely ground pepper

Preparation

Step 1

You can make this salad look even more interesting by serving it in individual portions, as in these photos. Slices of hard-boiled eggs not only look attractive but they also complement the potato salad.
1 Wash the potatoes and carrots but do not peel.
2 Place in a hot steamer and cook for about 25 minutes over medium heat, taking care to top up the water from time to time as needed. Prick the vegetables with a toothpick or skewer to see if cooked and remove when done.
3 Peel the potatoes and carrots while hot, and then transfer the potatoes to a bowl and roughly break up. Mix in the chicken stock powder and leave to cool. Chop the carrots in half lengthways and slice into 1/5-inch-thick semicircular pieces. You can make quarter-button shapes by chopping the halved carrot again lengthways before slicing.
4 Cut the cucumber in half lengthways and, using a spoon, remove the seeds. Cut each half again lengthways and then slice into 1/5-inch-thick pieces. In a separate bowl, sprinkle salt over the cucumber and leave for about 2-3 minutes to soften, then squeeze to remove excess liquid. Cut the onion in half, slice and soak in water to remove any bitterness, then drain and pat dry.
5 When the potato is cool, add the carrots, cucumber and onions and lightly mix. Stir in the mayonnaise, salt and pepper, and serve.