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Kabocha Korokke (Pumpkin Croquettes)
Serves 2–3 (6 croquettes) · About 50 min (10 min of this is just letting it cool)
Kabocha softened in the microwave, mashed, mixed with ground meat and onion, and fried. Sweet-tasting croquettes.
① Cook the kabocha→② Stir-fry the ground meat and onion→③ Mash and shape→④ Coat the fish→⑤ Fry
What to buy
Vegetables
Meat
Eggs, bread & flour
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How to make it
1
Soften the kabocha in the microwave
- Put the kabocha on a microwave-safe plate and heat without plastic wrap in the microwave at 600 W for 2 minutes (it gets a little softer and easier to cut)
- Put it on the cutting board and scoop out the seeds and stringy parts with a spoon
- Lay the kabocha down flat and cut into 3 cm cubes. Shave off only the hard parts of the skin with a knife
- Put in a microwave-safe bowl, sprinkle with 1 tbsp water, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and heat at 600 W for 5–6 minutes
How to tell it's doneA bamboo skewer (or chopsticks) slides in easily.
Be carefulKabocha is hard, so push the tip of the knife in a little first, then put your palm on the back of the blade and press down from above to cut. The bowl and plastic wrap are very hot, so use oven mitts.
2
Stir-fry the ground meat and onion
- Finely chop 1/4 onion on the cutting board
- Put 1 tsp vegetable oil in a frying pan, heat over medium heat, and stir-fry the onion for 2 minutes
- Add the ground meat and stir-fry, breaking it apart with a spatula
- Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt and a pinch of pepper, mix, and turn off the heat
How to tell it's doneNo pink parts of the ground meat are left, and it is brown all over.
3
Mash and shape
- Mash the kabocha from step 1 with a fork or masher (it is OK if a little skin is left)
- Add the mixture from step 2 and mix
- Divide into 6 and shape by hand into ovals 2 cm thick
- Line them up on a plate and let sit 10 minutes until cool enough to touch
How to tell it's doneThe 6 are shaped and do not fall apart when you hold them.
Be carefulShaping them while hot can burn you. If the mixture is too soft to hold together, mix in 1 tbsp panko.
4
Coat the fish
- Set out 3 trays or plates. Put 3 tbsp flour in the 1st, crack and beat 1 egg in the 2nd, and put 300 ml panko in the 3rd
- Coat in this order: flour → egg → panko. Press the panko on lightly with your hands
How to tell it's doneEverything is covered with panko, and no kabocha color shows.
5
Heat the oil
- Put vegetable oil 2 cm deep (about 400 ml) in a frying pan and set over medium heat
- Check the oil temperature: put the tip of dry cooking chopsticks in the oil. If small bubbles keep fizzing from the tip, it's about 170°C. If there are almost no bubbles, it's not hot enough yet. If big bubbles rush out hard, it's too hot, so turn the heat down
How to tell it's doneSmall bubbles keep fizzing from the tip of the chopsticks.
Be carefulOil may splatter. Do not leave while frying. Turn off the heat as soon as you're done, and clean up the oil only after it has cooled completely.
6
Fry
- Gently add them 3 at a time, starting from the side near you. Do not touch them for 1 1/2 minutes after adding
- Turn them over with cooking chopsticks and fry 1 1/2 minutes more
- Put them on a rack or paper towels to drain the oil. Fry the rest the same way
- Turn off the heat. Put on a plate. Sauce is optional (if using, 2 tbsp tonkatsu-style sauce (chuno sauce))
How to tell it's doneBoth sides are golden brown. The filling is already cooked, so you can judge by the color of the coating.
Be carefulThe filling is soft, so when turning them, hold with cooking chopsticks and a spatula together so they do not break. Oil can splatter. Do not leave the stove while frying. Turn off the heat as soon as you finish, and clean up the oil only after it has cooled completely.
📚 Learn more about this dish
🥬 Ingredient guide
🔪 Cutting & cooking tips
If it didn't work out
They burst while fryingThere were gaps in the coating, or the kabocha was watery. Next time, coat with no gaps. If the kabocha is loose, mix in panko.
They lost their shapeThe cooling time was too short, or you touched them right after adding. Next time, cool 10 minutes and wait 1 1/2 minutes before turning.
The coating burnedThe oil was too hot. Next time, check the bubbles in step 5, and turn the heat down if they are big.
Lumps of kabocha were leftIt was not heated enough in step 1. Add 1 minute at a time until a bamboo skewer slides in easily.
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