Potato Korokke Recipes

KOROKKE (JAPANESE POTATO AND GROUND MEAT CROQUETTES)

Steps:

• Put potatoes in a saucepan and add water to cover the potatoes sufficiently. Turn the heat on high and bring to a simmer.
• Cook potatoes until a bamboo skewer or a thin knife can get through to the centre of the potatoes easily. This will take 15-40 minutes depending on the size of the potatoes (note 5).
• When the potatoes are cooked, drain into a colander. Peel the potatoes immediately and place them into the saucepan just emptied. It is very hot so use a cloth or layers of kitchen paper to hold the potatoes.
• Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes mostly but leaving some tiny chunks of potatoes.
• While boiling potatoes, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a fry pan over medium high heat. Add onion and sauté until the onion becomes translucent and soft (about 3-5 minutes). Add pork, salt & pepper and cook, breaking it up as you go until browned and cooked through.
• Add the cooked mince to the potatoes in the pot (discard oil if accumulated in the fry pan), then the Korokke Flavouring ingredients. Mix well (note 6).
• Divide the potato mixture into 12 equal balls. Flatten them and shape into oval patties, about 2cm/¾" thick.
• Place flour, egg and breadcrumbs in a shallow plate or bowl individually.
• Coat each patty with flour, egg, then breadcrumbs.
• Heat oil in a deep fry pan over medium heat. Fry the patties for 1-2 minutes until the breadcrumbs become golden brown. You can fry more than one patty at a time but do not overcrowd the fry pan.
• Serve immediately with shredded cabbage with a stem of parsley leaves, accompanied by tonkatsu sauce.

POTATO KOROKKE

Steps:

• Set a medium pot of water to boil. As the water heats, wash, peel and quarter potatoes.
• Set potatoes in boiling water and cook until they've softened enough to pierce easily with a fork, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain potatoes in a colander. While potatoes are still warm, return them to the pot. Mash them until you're left with a fluffy mixture, fold in butter until melted and set aside.
• While potatoes simmer, prepare the meat: Heat a skillet over medium, and add 1 tablespoon oil. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes, then add beef. Cook, breaking the meat into bits, and add soy sauce, sugar and pepper. Continue cooking and stirring until the meat is cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add beef mixture to mashed potatoes in pot, and stir until thoroughly mixed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let mixture cool until it's warm (but not cold).
• With your palms, form the warm mixture into 1-inch-thick oval-shaped patties no longer than 3 inches in length. Set the patties on a baking sheet as you form them. You should end up with 10 to 12 patties.
• Cover the patties loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate to cool for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, organize your breading station: Place flour in a shallow plate, beat eggs in a shallow bowl and spread panko on another plate.
• Remove patties from fridge, and begin the breading process: Dip 1 patty into flour, covering completely. Then transfer to the beaten egg, covering completely. Then transfer to the panko, being sure to cover each patty completely. As you complete each patty, set back on the baking sheet before continuing with the next patty.
• Fill a medium saucepan with oil to a depth of 1 1/2 inches and heat to 340 degrees. Deep-fry korokke in batches of 2 at a time. (If you add too many, the oil's temperature will drop too drastically.) Fry, turning once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. They're already cooked inside, so use their color as your guide. Transfer to a cooling rack or a plate lined with paper towels, and repeat with the remaining korokke. Continually regulate the oil's temperature throughout - if the heat is too high, the korokke will burn, and if it's too cold, then your korokke will be soggy.
• Serve hot, with tonkatsu sauce, if you'd like.

JAPANESE MEAT AND POTATO KOROKKE

Steps:

• Peel and cut potatoes into medium chunks. Boil potatoes until soften. Mash potatoes and set aside.
• Mince onion and saute in a fryin pan. Add ground beef in the pan and saute. Mix mashed potato and onion and beef in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper and mix well.
• Make flat and oval-shaped pieces about 3" in diameter and 3/4" thick (a little bigger that a cookie). Coat each piece with flour. Dip in beaten egg. Coat with panko. Fry in 350 F oil until brown.