Korokke (Potato & Meat Croquette)

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes
Yield: Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

2 lb. (about 4) russet potatoes, peeled and halved
1 large onion, finely diced
½ carrots, finely diced (optional)
2 Shiitake mushrooms (optional)
2 Tbsp. oil
1 lb. ground beef
1 egg
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. white pepper
Freshly ground black pepper
3 eggs
2 cup Panko
½ cup flour
Oil for deep frying

Instructions:
In a large pot, put water and potatoes and bring it to a boil. Cook potatoes until a skewer goes through the potato easily.

Remove the potato from the heat and drain the water completely. When you do so, use a lid to partially cover so the potatoes don’t fall off from the pot.
Move the pot back to the stove. On low heat shift the pot so that remaining moisture will completely evaporate (but don’t burn them).

Turn off the heat and mash the potatoes. Unlike mashed potato, you don’t have to mash completely. You can want to leave some small chunks for texture. Set aside.
Meanwhile, chop onion, carrot, and mushrooms finely.

In a large skillet, heat oil on medium high heat. Sauté onion until soft.
Add carrot and Shiitake mushrooms and cook until they are soft.
Add the meat and break it up with a wooden spoon. When the meat is cooked, add salt, white pepper, and black pepper. Set aside.

When both mashed potato and meat mixture are ready, add the meat mixture into mashed potato in the large pot.

Add an egg and mix all together until everything is well combined.
Set aside till cool down a bit (so you can actually hold the mixture with your hands).
While the mixture is still warm, but not hot, start making Korokke balls.
Dredge each ball in flour, egg, and Panko.

In a wok, heat oil over medium high heat. Deep fry Korokke until they are golden brown. Inside is already cooked, so all you need to do is to make it nice brown color.
Transfer Korokke to paper towels and let the oil absorbed in the paper. Serve immediately with Tonkatsu Sauce.


Enjoy!