Cooked potato and Kabocha squash are blended with ground beef and onions with a hint of curry. Panko breaded and deep-fried for perfection. Serve with Tonkatsu sauce, a popular Japanese brown sauce.
300gramspotato (2 Russet or 3-4 Yukon Gold)peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
150gramsKabocha squash peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
115gramsground beef
40gramsyellow onionchopped
1-2teaspooncurry powderI use S&B brand
1/2teaspoonsalt
1 (or more)cupJapanese panko
1egg mix with 1 tablespoon of water
1/4 cupflourfor dusting
vegetable oilfor drying
Tonkatsu sauce
Instructions
Fill a medium pot with enough cold water to cover all potatoes and kabocha. Add potato to the pot with cold water and turn the heat high. Cook the potato until the water starts boiling. Turn the heat low and cook the potato for another 5 minutes. Once the potatoes are halfway cooked, add kabocha and cook for another 5-7 minutes, until soft but not mushy.
While the potatoes and kabocha are cooking, heat a saute pan on a stovetop and add 1 teaspoon of cooking oil. Add chopped onion and cook for a minute or two then add beef. Cook the beef until it’s cooked through then add salt and curry powder. Turn the heat off and set it aside.
When potatoes and kabocha are cooked, drain the water completely then start mashing. Add beef and onion to the mixture until beef is well incorporated with potatoes and kabocha. Let it cool slightly but not cold.
Start making croquettes by dividing the mixture into 8. First, hold the mixture into a ball, then flatten to make it into an oval shape.
Prepare the assembly line of flour, egg mixture and panko. Dredge croquettes in flour, then in egg mixture then to the panko. Gently press croquettes onto the panko. Shake off any excess.
Put enough vegetable oil in a pan deep enough to cover croquettes and heat it to 325 degrees. Once the temperature reaches 325 degrees, gently fry the croquette without overcrowding the pan. Fry croquettes until they are golden brown. Take them out on paper towels to drain excess oil. Serve hot with Tonkatsu sauce (Japanese brown sauce).