Instructions

1. Saute minced vegetables for the potato cakes in peanut oil until softened. Peppers, onions and garlic all work well with korokke.

2. Add some lean ground beef to the saute pan -- about the same amount as the veggies by volume -- and cook it until browned. Push the ground beef and veggies to one side of the pan with a wood spoon and tilt it so the fat drains.

3. Spoon the ground beef and veggie mixture into a mixing bowl and discard the drained fat from the pan. Pat the ground beef and veggie mixture with a paper towel to degrease it a bit.

4. Add your preferred spices to the beef and veggie mixture. There are about as many variations of korokke in Japan as there are curries in India, so don't hesitate to come up with your own mix of spices. Cumin, curry powder and chili powder all go well with korokke.

5. Season the beef and veggie mixture to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper and give it a good mix using a wood spoon.

6. Add mashed potatoes to the mixing bowl, about twice as much as the hamburger and veggie mixture by volume. For example, if you have about 1 cup of hamburger and minced vegetables in the mixing bowl, add about 2 cups of mashed potatoes. You can fresh or leftover mashed potatoes in your korokke.

7. Mix the mashed potatoes, hamburger and vegetables by hand in the mixing bowl. You should be able to form the mixture into patties without them falling apart. If you can't, add more mashed potatoes or an egg yolk to help the ingredients bind.

8. Shape the korokke mixture into flat, oval patties about 3/4 inch thick and place them on a plate. Cover the patties with plastic food film and place them in the refrigerator while the oil heats up.

9. Attach a candy thermometer to a heavy-bottomed pot and pour 3 or 4 inches of peanut oil in it. Place the oil on the stove on medium-high heat and heat it to between 350 and 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

10. Spread an even layer of all-purpose flour on a plate, whisk a few eggs in a bowl and spread an even layer of panko breadcrumbs in a shallow dish. Remove the plate of korokke from the refrigerator.

11. Dredge each patty in flour and dip them one at a time in the eggs. Place each patty in the panko and coat them on all sides.

12. Place the korokke patties on a slotted spoon and lower them into the hot oil one at a time. If you place them in the oil by hand, don’t drop them in.

13. Fry the patties until golden brown on both sides. Turn the korokke over in the oil halfway through frying using tongs.