Japanese curry’s traditional juicy pork katsu chapeau poses a dilemma for me. As a vegetarian, my curry topping options are slim. I can either just eat curry rice with no toppings, or I can eat curry with thrill-free, benchwarmer toppings like plain vegetables.
But there is one vegetarian topping that is just absolutely divine: the potato croquette (korokke). Creamy mashed potato patties laced with butter and onions, deep-fried in a crispy panko jacket; as satisfying as meat katsu but not made of 50% batter like veggie tempura. Croquettes are mythical in the sense that they rarely show up on Japanese curry menus in America. Heed my advice, stop chasing the dragon and make them yourselves. It’s mind-blowingly simple.
Ingredients (Makes 6-8 croquettes):
- 3 large Yukon Gold potatoes, quartered and peeled
- 1/2 white onion, diced
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 cup of panko
- 1 cup of flour
- 2 eggs beaten
- 4 cups of vegetable oil (depends on pot size , have a bottle of oil on standby)
- salt and pepper to taste
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop potato pieces in and boil potatoes until tender. Strain and set aside.
2. Melt 2 tbsp of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté dice onions in melted butter until onion pieces are soft and translucent.
3. Combine the potatoes, onions, and remaining butter in a bowl. Mash with fork, or if you’re fancy, a potato masher. Salt and pepper to taste.
4. This is the hard part: restrain yourself from eating the potato-onion mixture. Surprisingly difficult, but focus, and you’ll get through it.
5. Rub some vegetable oil over your hands and shape the potato mixture into the size of generous golf balls. Flatten them slightly with your palms. Beware of cracks and air bubbles or else they might explode due to expansion.
6. Set up your breading station: a dish of flour, a bowl of beaten eggs, and a dish of panko. Prepare your patties in this order; dredge with flour, dip in egg wash, and coat in panko.
7. Heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. When the oil reaches ~350F, fry patties until golden brown. Remove from oil and set aside on paper towels to drain excess oil.
Look at that. Friggin awesome.
See, when I was growing up, the only type of croquettes I ate were Taiwanese knock-offs that came in a freezer bag. They tasted like Elmer’s glue and moldy potatoes. Homemade croquettes are far superior, and totally glue-free.
On a quest to find the best Japanese curry in America
9 Comments
1 Kenzington4short wrote:
Oh god, potato croquettes. There's this ramen place near my house that has middling curry but OH SO DELICIOUS croquettes. They're creamy and have little bits of peas and onions. In fact, I think I'm going to have that for dinner.
As an aside, I dislike pronouncing the word "croquette" in English as opposed to the Japanese pronounciation korokke. I grew up in a Japanese household and thought that it was just called "korokke", not realizing it was the Japanese pronounciation of "croquette".
Also, being from Hawaii I laughed at the bit in the FAQ. Did someone really ask that?
2 Jonathan Metts wrote:
This looks amazing and quite easy, as I like to deep fry anyway. I'll try it soon!
3 Sofi wrote:
Any tips on where to find good panko? No Japanese markets around here, though a couple Korean ones... or is it just easier to order online?
4 Karen wrote:
@Sofi: Hm, it depends on where you live. Believe it or not, a lot of American supermarkets carry panko, even Safeway! Check either the ethnic food aisle or the baking aisle where normal breadcrumbs are. More high-end supermarkets like Bristol Farms or even Whole Foods should carry good panko.
5 Cheeks McGee wrote:
Can you sell T-shirts with Otisu printed on them? I would totally buy that.
I love a good croquette. I think peas would make a nice addition.
6 Emily wrote:
Nice pix, Karen
7 Su-Lin wrote:
Fabulous step by step photos! I think I might use leftover mashed potatoes this way.
8 Barron wrote:
Thanks for the recipe. I love korokke! If you are vegetarian, keep in mind that many korokke you get in the restaurant will have small bits of meat in it. Best to ask before you order.
Your last pic is killing me. I am so hungry.
9 Karen wrote:
@Mie
Hi, sorry, I just added in the serving size. This recipe, depending on potato size and croquette size should yield about 6-8 patties.