AFF Japan – Korokke (Potato and Meat Croquettes)

Hello, hello readers…I know I have been MIA lately, actually for the whole month of September probably, haha. I’m doing a few things at the same time…J-man has been settling down steadily in his new school and I’m happy for that but that also means the dreaded word ‘HOMEWORK’! Mostly Mandarin homework which I have to struggle to teach him myself seeing how I can’t even read or write Mandarin. Like duck leading a chicken.

I have also been trying to change my daughter’s sleeping patterns so she won’t have to take so many naps during the day and will go to bed early at night at a decent hour. So far it has been quite a struggle seeing the time when both kids fell sick with the sniffles and cough.

But all that aside…MFF is over as some of you might’ve known. So what’s next? Well, we have progressed on to AFF! (Asian Food Fest) This cook-along is on a much larger scale in terms of geography and well, it’s kinda exciting if you ask me. 🙂 More details here. So this month of October is Japan! And Japanese food is definitely not new or even unheard off anymore. I really love Japanese style of cooking. It feels very basic but I personally think to get the authentic results you need, it’s all in the technique of cooking.

My earliest inspirations to Japanese cuisine started off with this YouTuber Cooking with Dog. Although the narration in the early days was heavy-accented but her steps for making Japanese dishes were easy, precise and well-documented. I’m hooked on her channel since. For this month of October I will concentrate on doing Japanese dishes and here is my first submission. Most recipes are resourced from Nami of Just One Cookbook, another great food blogger on Japanese dishes. These are potato and meat croquettes.

It is simple to prepare albeit a bit lengthy but mind you, portion-wise it can actually stretch pretty far and they’re rather substantial as a meal in itself so you won’t feel the need to want rice or anything else. My son really loved this croquettes and ate quite a few on one sitting. You can shape them into patties like I have or even a more rounded-thicker shape. I like patties because they’re easy to flip over when frying.

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KOROKKE RECIPE
(recipe from Just One Cookbook with minor changes)

Ingredients:

3 russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely diced
200gms minced beef
2 tablespoons oil
1 egg
1/4 cup chopped scallions
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 eggs for the breading
2 cups Panko breadcrums
1/4 cup all purpose flour
Oil for deep frying
Tonkatsu Sauce

Steps;

1. Boiled the potatoes in a pot of hot water till a skewer runs through.
2. Strain the potatoes onto a colander and leave to ‘dry out’ for few minutes.
4. Mash the potatoes but it doesn’t have to be super smooth, a few lumps here and there adds to the texture.

5. In a frying pan, cook your onions till they’re soft with oil. Add the carrots and do the same. Add the minced beef and cook through. Season with salt and black pepper.

6. Discard the oil or liquid left behind in the minced beef mixture. Let the meat cool for a bit and add it to the mashed potatoes.
7. Add an egg and the chopped scallions. Season with more salt and black pepper.

8. Mix everything with your hands and shape them into patties.

9. Place on in a tray and cover with cling-wrap. Cool in the fridge for about 30 mins.
10. Prepare breading station (eggs, flour, panko breadcrumbs). Dredge in the flour first and then beaten egg and lastly the panko.
11. Deep fry in oil till they’re crunchy and golden brown on the outside. Strain on a rack.
12. Serve with Tonkatsu sauce.

Enjoy!

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I am submitting this to Asian Food Fest Japan Month
hosted by Alan of Travelling Foodies