Korokke

Ingredients

• 1⅓ lbPotatoesboil or microwave, peel and mash while hot
• 5¼ ozGround meatbeef-pork blend, pork or chicken
• 1Onionfinely chop and sauté
• ⅔ ozButterfor sautéing the onion
• 1¾ ozWheat flourfor breading
• 1Eggbeaten, for breading
• 3½ ozPanko breadcrumbsouter breading layer
• Saltto season the mixture
• Pepperto season the mixture
• Frying oilfor deep-frying or pan-frying
• ½ cupMilkfor a creamy version of the filling (optional)
• 1⅓ ozMixed vegetablessauté together with the ground meat (optional)
• 3½ ozCabbagefinely shredded as a side (optional)

Method

1. Boil the potatoes in water, or wrap them in plastic wrap and microwave them, until tender. Peel them while still hot and mash them smooth.
2. Finely chop the onion and cook it in the butter over medium heat until translucent. Add the ground meat, break it up and cook it through, then season with salt and pepper. If you like, add the mixed vegetables to the pan with the meat.
3. Fold the meat mixture into the mashed potato, season well with salt and pepper, and let the mixture cool completely — it shapes far more easily cold.
4. Divide the mixture into equal portions and form flat, oval patties, pressing the edges firmly so they don't burst open in the oil.
5. Coat the patties one by one in flour, then in the beaten egg, and finally in the panko. Press the panko on only lightly so the crust stays airy.
6. Heat the frying oil to about 320 °F and fry the korokke in batches until golden brown, turning them once. Alternatively, pan-fry them in a little oil on both sides until the coating is golden.
7. Drain briefly on kitchen paper and, if you like, serve with finely shredded cabbage. Add sauce or ketchup to taste.

Tips and variations

For a creamier filling, cook the onion in butter with the flour, stir in a stock cube and the milk to make a thick base, and mix that into the potatoes. Instead of potato you can microwave yam (nagaimo), mix it with ground chicken and condensed milk, and pan-fry the patties rather than deep-frying them. For a sweet-savoury version, wrap the filling in a batter of pancake mix, egg, water and melted butter, then bread and fry it; any leftover breading ingredients can be stirred together with sugar, baking powder and milk and fried as small doughnuts. To serve, halved cherry tomatoes and a little parsley round out the plate.