Steps

1. Wrap 3 large potatoes in a damp paper towel, then wrap again in plastic wrap.
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2. Place the wrapped potatoes on a plate and microwave at 600W for 6 minutes.
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3. Boil 1 egg to make a hard-boiled egg.
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4. Slice 1/2 cucumber diagonally.
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5. Soak the sliced cucumber in salt water made with 150ml water and 1 tsp salt. [This is the key!] Soaking in salt water makes the cucumber crisp.
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6. Peel and finely chop carrots, to taste.
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7. Microwave the chopped carrots at 600W for 1 minute 30 seconds.
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8. Flip the potatoes that have been microwaved and microwave again at 600W for 3 minutes.
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9. While microwaving, cut 4-5 slices of ham into bite-sized pieces.
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10. While the potatoes are still hot, peel them. [This is the key!] Peeling them while hot makes them easy to remove cleanly.
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11. Place the peeled potatoes in a bowl and lightly mash them.
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12. Add salt and pepper, to taste, a pinch of sugar, and 2 tsp vinegar to the mashed potatoes and mix. [This is the key!] Adding vinegar while hot tightens the flavor and prevents it from becoming bland.
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13. Add the hard-boiled egg and mix while mashing with a wooden spoon.
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14. Wait for it to cool down to room temperature. (If in a hurry, place ice under the bowl to cool it faster.)
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15. Once cooled to room temperature, add the cucumber from the salt water, the microwaved carrots, and the chopped ham.
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16. Add mayonnaise, to taste and mix everything together.
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17. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste or vinegar, to taste if necessary.
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