Japanese Potato Salad (Potesara, Seasoned While Warm)
ポテトサラダ
https://japanese-kitchen-brothers.com/pages/recipe-japanese-potato-salad-potesara-seasoned-while-warm
Fluffy potatoes soak up vinegar while hot. Cool them, then fold in mayo, cucumber, and ham.
👨🍳"My mom always tasted it warm and cold. The cold taste was the real test."
Ingredients
Serves 4Potatoes
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3 medium (~450 g)russet, or Yukon Gold for Local
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Color Carrot, quarter-moon slices⅓ (~40 g)
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Salt for the boiling water1 tsp
Mix-ins
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Color Cucumber, thinly sliced1 (~100 g)use ½ an English cucumber
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Salt for the cucumber½ tsp
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Deli ham2 slices (~40 g)cut into short strips
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Red onion, thinly sliced¼Authentic only
Warm seasoning
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Sour Vinegar1 tbspany mild vinegar for Local
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Sour Rice vinegar1 tbspAuthentic
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Sweet Sugar½ tspLocal only
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Salty Salt and black pepper½ tsp salt
Dressing
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Fat Mayonnaise4 tbspLocal
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Umami Kewpie mayonnaise4 tbspAuthentic
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Spicy Karashi mustard optional½ tspor Dijon
Taste & Texture Profile
Local tastes sweeter and softer. Authentic has more tang and a sharper onion bite.
Taste Profile
Texture Profile
Sensory Notes
Mild and creamy. A light tang from the vinegar.
A soft crunch when you hit a cucumber slice.
Pale cream with green, orange, and pink flecks.
Best cool from the fridge, not ice cold.
Rich egg yolk and rice vinegar, with a hint of mustard.
Crisp onion and cucumber break up the soft mash.
Warm yellow from Kewpie, with purple onion threads.
Cool, next to a hot main dish. The contrast wakes it up.
Instructions
Slice the cucumber thin. Toss with ½ tsp salt. Rest 10 minutes, then squeeze hard.
Peel the potatoes and cut into 4 cm chunks. Start them in cold salted water. Simmer about 15 minutes. Add the carrot for the last 5.
💡 Why potatoes start in cold water
Heat moves slowly into a potato. In boiling water, the outside falls apart first. From cold water, the whole chunk warms together. Test with a skewer after about 15 minutes.
Boiling water first would be faster, right?
Faster outside. The center stays hard.
So cold water keeps the chunks even.
Drain well. Return the potatoes to the pot over low heat. Shake for about 1 minute until dry and floury.
💡 Drying the surface opens the door
Wet potatoes carry a film of water. That film blocks the seasoning. One minute over low heat steams it off. The surface turns white and fluffy.
Shake the pot. Watch for white powder.
Will the potatoes stick and burn?
Not on low heat. One minute is enough.
While hot, mash roughly with a fork. Keep some chunks. Mix in vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper.
While hot, mash about half with a wooden spatula. Mix in rice vinegar, salt, and pepper.
💡 Hot potatoes drink the vinegar in
Cooked starchy potato cells swell and pull apart. Hot, they take in liquid fast. As steam leaves, the gaps draw the vinegar deeper. Wait 10 minutes and the same vinegar only coats the outside.
Why add vinegar now and mayo later?
Hot potato soaks up the thin seasoning.
So the flavor goes inside first.
Spread the potatoes on a tray. Let them cool for about 15 minutes.
💡 Why mayo waits until the potatoes cool
Mayo is oil held in tiny drops by egg yolk. Hot potato loosens that hold. Oil seeps out and the salad turns greasy. About 15 minutes on a tray is enough.
Cool it down before the mayo goes in.
It is only warm. Does it really matter?
Yes. Warm mayo slips into an oily mess.
Slice the red onion thin. Soak it in water for 5 minutes. Squeeze it dry.
Add the cucumber, carrot, ham, and mayo. Fold gently. Season with pepper.
Add the cucumber, carrot, onion, and ham. Fold in Kewpie and karashi.
Chill for 30 minutes if you have time. Taste it cold. Add a pinch of salt if needed.
Did you make it?
Sign in to rateFAQ
How is Japanese potato salad different from American?
It is partly mashed, not chunky. Vinegar goes in while the potatoes are hot. Kewpie gives a richer, tangier taste.
Why is my potato salad watery?
The cucumber was not squeezed, or the potatoes stayed wet. Salt and squeeze the cucumber. Dry the potatoes in the pot.
Can I use regular mayonnaise?
Yes. Add a pinch of sugar and a few drops of rice vinegar. It will taste lighter than Kewpie.
How long does potato salad keep?
Keep it covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. Do not leave it out on a warm day.
Should I mash all of the potatoes?
No. Mash about half and leave small chunks. The soft part binds, and the chunks give bite.
