Potato Croquettes

INGREDIENTS:-

500g U.S Potatoes, peeled
50g Frozen mixed vegetables, defrosted

200g Minced pork
1tbs Soy sauce
2tbs Sugar
1tbs Sake / Mirin

Butter

Plain flour
2 Eggs, beaten with 1tbs of vegetable oil, mixed very well
Japanese bread crumbs / Panko
Oil for deep frying


INSTRUCTIONS:-

1) To make croquettes. Cooked peeled potatoes in a pot of water till soft. Drained and mashed finely. Set aside.
2) Season mince pork with all the seasoning and set aside.
3) Melt a little butter in a pan and add vegetables. Give the vegetables a quick stir and simmer till it absorbs all the butter.
4) Add seasoned minced pork. Break up the pieces as much as possible while cooking. Cook until all liquids are dried up.
5) Add cooked meat to mashed potatoes and mix well.
6) Prepare a square / rectangle tray, lined with cling wrap. Placed mashed potato mix in and mould according to thickness you prefer or tray per size.
7) Using a butter knife to cut in the equal rectangle shapes. Cover up with remaining portion of the cling wrap or just use another piece so it does not get dry. Put it in the fridge for 15-20 mins or until it is completely cooled down.
8) Once it is cooled down, cover each piece in flour, then dip it into the egg mixture and lastly, coat it with bread crumbs.
9) Heat up a pot of oil at medium heat and when oil is hot enough, add in croquettes one at a time. Serve it with mayonnaise or tomato ketchup or just eat it on its own.


NOTE:-

1) If too much to finish, can freeze unused portion at point no. 8. I used cling wrap to wrap the croquettes up in pairs before putting them in a freezer bag to be placed in the freezer. You can pack the croquettes according to your meal size.

2) To make DOMO monster using the croquette.
- Stain a piece of cheese with red food coloring, put it back in the fridge to dry.
- Take another piece of cheese, using a decoration knife or straw to cut out teeth.
- Cut the red cheese into squares to form the mouth and place teeth on it to form DOMO's mouth.
- Using a hold puncher, punch eyes out using seaweeds.
- Assemble parts on croquettes after croquettes are cooled down.


[adapted recipe from Anna The Red's Bento Factory]