Back in the Day: Perfect potato salad carries a touch of sweetness

Elaine Nakai of Aiea makes such a good potato salad that her friends insist she make a batch for them each week when they get together for karaoke.

This young-at-heart grandmother works in the insurance business and loves getting together with her many friends. “I do have the gift of gab,” she explains.

Nakai makes sure to spread her special dish around to family as well. Her three children, Stanton, Reagan and Melanie, get to eat it at every family gathering.

Nakai’s recipe, which calls for spaghetti noodles, is quite delicious and different from most potato salads, as she insists on using proven brands — Okuhara imitation crab meat and Best Foods mayonnaise — along with proven techniques.

Black olives are a must. “It’s not my salad if there are no olives!”

On the other hand, she doesn’t use raw onions. “That’s OK in a hamburger, but never in salad!”

Nakai learned the dish from her mother, Muriel Morita, then changed it a little to make it her own.

One tip from her mother is to slice hot potatoes down the middle lengthwise, then salt them. “That adds lots of flavor,” Nakai says.

Using spaghetti instead of macaroni is another of her mother’s practices.

>> A new trick: Add a healthy helping (2-1/2 tablespoons) of sugar to the mayonnaise. The sweetness of the salad is what makes it good, Nakai insists.

Over the years, she has tried different brands of imitation crab but has found they aren’t the same as the juicy Okuhara brand. Ditto on the mayonnaise — low-fat mayo and other brands have been tried and discarded.

>> Other ingredient notes: She usually uses russet potatoes, but has tried all types. And when she doesn’t have white pepper, she substitutes black, but says it adds an unappealing dark look and affects the taste.

While others may let their salads rest for a day before serving, Nakai says hers should be made fresh for the best results.

And why should she alter the recipe? “Everybody loves my salad!”

POTATO-SPAGHETTI SALAD

By Elaine Nakai

• 4 medium russet potatoes (substitute any variety)
• Salt, to taste
• 1/3 (16-ounce) box dry spaghetti (substitute thin spaghetti)
• 4 large hard-cooked eggs, chopped
• 1 (6-ounce) can whole, pitted black olives, medium size preferred, drained
• 1 (8-ounce) package imitation crab meat, Okuhara brand preferred, halved and shredded
• 1 teaspoon white pepper (substitute black pepper)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2-1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 3-1/2 cups mayonnaise, Best Foods brand preferred
• Paprika, for garnish (optional)

Place potatoes in a pot and add water until covered; boil until cooked, about 25 minutes. Remove from water and slice lengthwise. Sprinkle with salt and let cool.

Break spaghetti noodles into quarters and cook according to package directions. Drain, rinse and set aside.

Peel potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch cubes; place in large bowl. Add chopped eggs, cooked spaghetti, olives and imitation crab. Add remaining ingredients; mix until combined. Sprinkle with paprika if using. Serves 12.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving (not including sprinkled salt): 580 calories, 50 g fat, 8 g saturated fat, 90 mg cholesterol,1,000 mg sodium, 27 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 5 g sugar, 6 g protein.

Lynette Lo Tom, author of “The Chinese Kitchen,” is fascinated by old-fashioned foods. Contact her at 275-3004 or via Instagram at @brightlightcookery. Nutritional analysis by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S.