Morning Potato Salad

Serve 6              Prep  15 mins               Cook  20 mins

Ingredients

• 1 lb salad potatoes, or baby gold potatoes, washed and peeled
• 1/2 cup diced ham
• 2 hard boiled eggs, peeled
• 1/2 cup chopped carrot, about 1 carrot
• 1/2 cup diced cucumber
• 1/2 cup cooked corn fresh, frozen or canned
• 1/4 red onion, finely diced
• 2/3 cup Kewpie mayonnaise
• 1 tsp seasoned rice vinegar
• 3/4 tsp hot mustard paste 
• 1 tsp sugar (optional)
• a pinch of black pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt

Directions

1. Peel and cut the potatoes into small chunks, put the potato chunks in a pot and cover with enough water, boil for 15-20 minutes or until softened then drain.
2. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher, leaving some small chunks for texture. Sprinkle with salt and allow to cool.
3. Peel the carrot and quarter lengthwise, then slice thinly. Put the carrots in a microwave-safe container, add a tablespoon of water and cook for 1 minute so they are partially cooked, but still crunchy. Drain and set aside.
4. Quarter the cucumber lengthwise, slice off the seed stem (which prevents the salad becoming too watery) and thinly slice the cucumber. Put the cucumber in a bowl, sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt, mix well and leave for 10 minutes.
5. Peel and thinly slice the red onion, cover with water in a bowl and leave to soak for 10 minutes, changing the water once or twice. 
6. In mean time, dice the ham, and  egg whites (reserving the yolks).
7. Squeeze the excess water from the cucumber and onion
8. Add the ham and vegetables to the roughly mash the potatoes, then mix well.
9. Blend the seasoned rice vinegar, mustard, sugar, salt, pepper into the mayonnaise. Add to the potatoes mixture and mix well, then gently add the diced egg whites.  Refrigerate until ready to serve. Just before serving, press the yolks through a fine mesh sieve or grate them over the salad.
10. Enjoy cold