Japanese potato salad with teriyaki chicken

Mix soy sauce, sake and mirin with brown sugar, salt and a little smoked paprika.

Toss the chicken thighs in the mixture until coated and push them down into it; cover and refrigerate overnight, tossing once or twice.

Heat a little sesame oil in a pan over medium-high; add the thighs smooth side down and cook about three or four minutes while the released liquid evaporates and starts to caramelize.

Flip the thighs and pour in the marinade; bring to a boil.

Reduce to medium and cook about five or six minutes, until the liquid is reduced by about half and the chicken is cooked through.

Transfer to a clean container, pour the teriyaki sauce over, cool and refrigerate.

Peel and rinse the potatoes; halve through the narrow side, cut lengthwise into thirds, then across into uniform half-inch to three-quarter-inch cubes.

Cover the potatoes with cold water and a little salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil.

Meanwhile cut the carrot: rounds from the small half, the large half split lengthwise, then sliced to about three-sixteenths of an inch.

When the water boils add the carrots; cook until a knife tip slides easily into the potatoes without them falling apart, about seven or eight minutes.

Drain well, transfer to a mixing bowl and cool until barely warm, at least 20 minutes.

Slice the mini cucumbers about an eighth of an inch on a mandolin; toss with salt and leave about 15 minutes, mixing and massaging every five minutes.

Toss a little diced onion with salt.

Rinse the onion and add to the potatoes; squeeze as much water as possible from the cucumbers and add them.

Cube the chilled teriyaki chicken; add about half to the salad and save the rest for the top.

Dress with Japanese mayonnaise and a splash of seasoned rice vinegar; toss, poking to smash a few small potato pieces.

Refrigerate a few hours (at least 30 minutes) to tighten up; mix and adjust with salt, vinegar or mayo.

Plate and top with the remaining chicken tossed in a little extra sauce, toasted sesame seeds and scallion threads (green onion sliced lengthwise very thin and soaked in cold water until curled).