Japanese Potato Salad With Mentaiko
A Japanese potato salad takes the humble spud to a whole new level. Creamy, tangy, and delightfully textured, it’s a beloved staple in bento boxes and casual gatherings alike. Each bite offers a harmonious blend of rich and refreshing flavors.
Ingredients
- Salt
- 1 pound russet potatoes peeled and cut into large chunks
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar with additional for adjusting flavor
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 small Japanese or Persian cucumber or half an English cucumber, deseeded, quartered lengthwise, and thinly sliced
- 1 small carrot thinly sliced into quarter-length strips
- ½ cup corn kernels either thawed frozen or freshly boiled (optional)
- ¼ cup chopped radish approximately two radishes; optional
- 2 scallions finely sliced
- 5 tablespoons Kewpie mayonnaise with extra for flavor adjustment
- 1 sac mentaiko or tarako approximately 2 ounces
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice with additional for seasoning
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the Potatoes and Eggs
- Place the potato chunks in a medium-sized pot and submerge them with at least an inch of cold water. Add several generous pinches of salt. Set the pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Carefully lower the eggs into the boiling water. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, cover the pot, and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 10 to 12 minutes. Drain the potatoes in a colander, spreading them on a rimmed baking sheet. Immediately sprinkle the potatoes with rice vinegar and sugar. Let them cool completely for at least 15 minutes. Transfer the eggs to an ice bath and peel once fully cooled.
- Prepare the Vegetables
- Toss the sliced cucumber with a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Allow it to sit while the potatoes cool, which helps release excess moisture from the cucumber slices.
- Mash the Potatoes
- Once cooled, add the potatoes to the bowl with the salted cucumber. Lightly mash the potatoes using the back of a fork, leaving some small chunks intact for texture.
- Combine Remaining Ingredients
- Incorporate the carrot slices, optional corn and radishes, scallions, Kewpie mayonnaise, mentaiko, lemon zest, and lemon juice into the potato mixture. Break the boiled eggs into pieces with clean hands or chop them finely with a knife, then add them to the bowl. Stir the ingredients together until thoroughly mixed. Adjust the seasoning with additional salt, sugar, vinegar, lemon juice, mayonnaise, or black pepper, as desired.
Notes
Tip: Kewpie mayonnaise, with its thicker texture and umami-forward taste, is a quintessential element of this recipe. While it is recommended, any high-quality mayonnaise can be used as a substitute.