Crab Cream Croquette (Kani Kurimu Korokke)

Melt unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over a gentle medium-low heat. Add diced onions, and sauté them until they’re soft and have a translucent glow.

Remember, we’re aiming for softness, not browning. In my experience, this step is crucial for that subtle onion flavor without any bitterness.

Once the onions are right, stir in crab meat and ketchup. Mix until everything’s well incorporated.

Sift in all-purpose flour. This ensures no lumps and a smooth texture. Mix it in thoroughly.

Pour the milk into your roux, one-third at a time. Employ a whisk to break up any potential lumps, and it’s important to whisk continuously.

This method ensures a consistent, smooth texture. In my experience, rushing this step can lead to a lumpy sauce, and nobody wants that.

It’s a bit of an arm workout, but the result is a velvety, lump-free result that’s worth every effort.

Add salt, black pepper, nutmeg, and grated cheese. Switch to a spatula and mix until the filling thickens.

Here, you’re aiming for a consistency similar to mashed potato.

To be able to shape the Kani Cream Croquette well, it’s important to first let the filling cool completely.

After cooking it in a pan, transfer it to a wide container, preferably made of stainless steel. Once it’s cool to the touch, place it in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Don’t freeze it completely, just enough for it to become firm and easy to shape.

If time allows, store the filling in the refrigerator until it completely sets.

In a bowl, combine cold water, egg, and all-purpose flour. Whisk them together until you have a smooth batter.

Using batter instead of egg alone makes it less likely to fail when frying.

Then set up two plates side by side. On one plate, spread out some plain flour for dusting. On the other, lay out panko breadcrumbs. This station will help streamline the coating process.

Retrieve the crab filling from the freezer/refrigerator and divide it into 8 equal portions. Roll each portion into a neat barrel shape.

Shaping cream croquettes is more challenging compared to potato korokke. While most korokke dishes are shaped like a disk or oval, cream croquettes are barrel-shaped.

This is because cream korokke has a softer texture, and forming it into barrels reduces the likelihood of it exploding or leaking out.

It’s crucial to work quickly when shaping the cream korokke, as the heat from your hands can cause the filling to melt and become sticky. Once shaped, you can freeze them until ready to batter and fry if you like.

Once your oil is hot and ready (180°C/356°F), it’s time to coat those barrels.

To achieve perfectly cooked korokke, frying them at a temperature range of 170 to 180 degrees Celsius (340-355°F) is essential.

This temperature ensures the outer layer becomes deliciously crispy while effectively warming the filling.

If the oil temperature is too low, the frying process will take longer, causing the batter to peel off and the white sauce to leak out, which is the worst nightmare for crab cream croquette!

On the other hand, if the heat is too high, the panko might burn while the filling remains cold. Since the inside is already cooked, there is no need to cook the ingredients while frying in oil, but it’s important to make sure the filling is hot all the way through!

First, roll them in the plain flour, ensuring they’re lightly dusted. Dip them into the egg batter, ensuring they’re well coated. Finally, give them a generous roll in the panko breadcrumbs.

After coating the croquettes, it is recommended to place them straight into the hot oil to ensure even cooking. It is best to fry them in batches to prevent overcrowding, which can vary depending on the size of your pot (in my case, I cooked four at a time).

While waiting for a batch to cook, keeping the uncoated croquettes in the freezer is advised to maintain their firmness.

For this recipe, deep frying is recommended to fully submerge the korokke in oil. Shallow frying may cause the filling to explode because the exposed part is not cooking directly and becomes unstable.

When flipped, the croquette will likely break, and the filling will leak out. Therefore, deep frying is a better option for cream korokke.

Fry the croquettes until they achieve a crispy, golden-brown hue. Once done, transfer them to a wire rack to drain any excess oil.

While the croquettes are draining, mix ketchup and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl for a simple Japanese-style korokke sauce.

Serve them together and enjoy!