Japanese-style potato salad and potato salad inari

My almost regular contribution for potluck parties. A simple side dish that offers pretty visuals, taste good and easy to eat :)

The jap-style potato salad is smooth and fluffy; unlike the western-style version where the potato is usually harder, cut into larger pieces and tossed with a sour cream-based dressing with condiments like spring onions. For the jap-style potato salad, the potato is lightly mashed, eggs are added and taste slightly sweeter as Jap mayonnaise is used. Cucumber and carrot are added for colour; makes the salad more refreshing and crunchy to taste.
A variation is potato salad inari (beancurd pouch). The inari tastes very sweet and complements the potato salad pretty well. Got the idea from Sakae Sushi actually.

Potato Salad and Potato Salad Inari (serves 10-12 persons, for a potluck)
Ingredients

• 4 large US potatoes (Use US potatoes as they are more fluffy. Don't use China potatoes, the texture is hard when cooked)
• 4 eggs
• 2 Japanese cucumber (use Jap cucumber as they are small and no seeds)
• 1/2 carrot
• Japanese mayonnaise
• Inari pockets (can be found at Mediya Supermarket, in can or packet. Packet of 8 yields 16 potato salad inari)

Preparation

• Boil potatoes and eggs.
• Eggs will be cooked first. Remove, de-shell and dice.
• When potatoes are cooked (chopstick can poke through potato easily), remove the skin and cut into cubes.
• Slice the cucumber and carrot into wafer-thin slices (faster and easier if using vegetable slicer).
• Mix the cubed potatoes and diced eggs together and add mayonnaise (to taste).
• Add the cucumber and carrot and mix thoroughly. Add more mayonnaise if necessary (to taste).
• Chill and ready to serve.
• Eat it as it is or with some bacon bits (vegetarian bacon bits, crispy and goes very well with the potato salad).

Potato Salad Inari

• Squeeze the sauce from the inari pouches gently to remove excess sauce, otherwise the inari will be too wet. (the inari comes in can or packets packed with light sauce)
• Gently split the top of the pouches with fingers (do it gently as the inari skin is easily torn)
• Stuff the potato salad into the inari pouches using a teaspoon.
• Cut the pouches into half carefully.
• Chill and ready to serve.