Korokke (Japanese Potato and Ground Meat Croquettes)

Method11 steps · about 1 hr

1. 1

   Step 1: Put all 600 g whole, skin-on starchy potatoes (600 g) in a saucepan and add enough water to cover them generously. Heat on high and bring to a simmer.

   Uses 600 g whole starchy potatoes, skin on · Water to cover the whole potatoes generously; drained

2. 2

   Step 2: Simmer the potatoes from step 1 until a thin knife or bamboo skewer passes easily through the centre. Allow about 15–40 minutes, depending on their size, and keep cooking until fully tender. Prepare the onion and pork in step 5 while the potatoes cook.

   Simmer whole potatoes until tender · 30 minUses complete whole potatoes in their cooking water

3. 3

   Step 3: Drain all the tender potatoes from step 2, discarding the water. Peel them while hot, holding each with a cloth or several layers of kitchen paper, and return the peeled potatoes to the emptied saucepan.

   Uses complete tender potatoes, drained from their cooking water

4. 4

   Step 4: Mash all the hot peeled potatoes from step 3 with a potato masher, leaving a few tiny chunks.

   Uses complete hot peeled cooked potatoes

5. 5

   Step 5: While the potatoes simmer, heat all 1 tbsp sautéing oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the whole diced onion (1) and sauté for about 3–5 minutes until soft and translucent. Add all 200 g ground pork and salt and pepper to taste; break up the meat and cook until browned and fully cooked to 71°C.

   Sauté the diced onion · 4 minUses 1 tbsp oil for sautéing the onion and pork · 1 small onion, finely diced · 200 g ground pork · Salt and pepper, to season the pork

6. 6

   Step 6: Add all the cooked pork and onion from step 5 to the mashed potatoes from step 4, leaving any accumulated excess oil in the frying pan. Mix in all 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp sake, 1 tbsp mirin and ½ tbsp sugar. Test a small patty: if it is too dry and its edges crack, add just enough milk to help it hold together.

   Uses complete cooked pork and onion, leaving excess pan oil behind · complete mashed potatoes · 2 tbsp soy sauce · 1 tbsp sake · 1 tbsp mirin · ½ tbsp sugar · A little milk, only if the potato mixture is too dry to hold a patty

7. 7

   Step 7: Divide the complete seasoned potato-and-pork mixture from step 6 into twelve equal balls. Flatten each into an oval patty about 2 cm thick.

   Uses complete seasoned potato-and-pork mixture

8. 8

   Step 8: Set out all 50 g coating flour, the one beaten egg and about 2 cups panko breadcrumbs in three separate shallow plates or bowls.

   Uses 50 g flour for coating · 1 egg, beaten, for coating · About 2 cups Japanese panko breadcrumbs for coating

9. 9

   Step 9: Coat each of the twelve patties from step 7 in flour, then beaten egg, then panko, drawing from the separate bowls set out in step 8. Discard any coating supplies left after breading.

   Uses complete twelve shaped potato-and-pork patties · flour, beaten egg and panko from the three coating bowls, as needed

10. 10

    Step 10: Heat enough separate deep-frying oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat. Fry the coated patties from step 9 in batches without crowding the pan, about 1–2 minutes per batch, until the crumbs are golden, the egg coating is cooked and the filling is hot. Repeat with the remaining patties until all twelve are fried, then drain.

    Fry each batch of croquettes · 2 minUses Oil for deep frying, as needed; separate from the 1 tbsp sautéing oil · coated patties, fried in successive batches until all twelve are finished

11. 11

    Step 11: Serve the twelve finished croquettes from step 10 immediately with shredded cabbage and parsley leaves, and ready tonkatsu sauce alongside.

    Uses complete twelve finished fried croquettes · Shredded cabbage, to serve · Parsley leaves, to serve · Ready tonkatsu sauce, to serve alongside