Japanese "Kabocha" Pumpkin Croquettes

Today I'm going to teach you how to make korokke with Japanese winter squash called "kabocha" (かぼちゃ). The skin is dark green while the flesh is bright orange.

In Japan, we use kabocha for many different kinds of recipes, it's a common ingredient for both sweet and savory dishes. It makes delicious tempura and pumpkin loaf cake!

Kabocha is usually grown during the summer and then harvested in autumn.

Using kabocha in croquette gives it a sweeter and more buttery taste, it's seriously delicious!

Tips for making the most delicious kabocha korokke

Use these tips to ensure perfect kabocha korokke every time!

Peel the kabocha

Kabocha skin is quite thick and hard to peel, however, once it's cooked, it's edible and it's known for being very nutritious. Many people leave it on, however I personally like my kabocha croquette to be very smooth.

I peel it with a potato peeler before cooking but this is optional.

Soften the kabocha

The next step is to cook and mash the kabocha. You can cook kabocha in many different ways; steaming, boiling, baking, all of these methods all work.

For speed, I personally like to microwave the kabocha for this recipe.

Cut it into small pieces and microwave it in a glass bowl covered with plastic wrap. I usually add 1-2 tbsp of water to help it steam and microwave it for 5-6 minutes on 600W.

If it's not soft enough to mash, simply add it back to the microwave for 30 seconds at a time until you reach the desired softness.

Allow the filling to cool completely

In order to shape kabocha korroke easily, the filling needs to be completely cool. Once you've finished cooking it in the pan, transfer it to a wide container (wider containers will allow it to cool faster).

When it's cool to the touch, you can refrigerate for 20-30 minutes or until it's time to shape.

Shaping

This recipe makes enough for 12 ball-shaped kabocha korokke, but you can also make them into a disk shape (4-6 depending on size.) Disk shape is good for if you want to shallow fry rather than deep fry, but the ball shape makes a fun finger food!

Before shaping, divide the filling into portions so that the size is uniform.

Once shaped, I like to put the croquettes in the freezer for 5-10 minutes while I heat my oil, this helps them keep the shape better without breaking.

Coat evenly

As with most deep fried goods, korokke is coated with flour, an egg batter and then finally the panko breadcrumbs.

The flour needs to be a thin even layer. If it's too thick, lumps of flour will stop the egg batter from sticking. The same goes for the egg batter, let all the excess drip off otherwise your panko breadcrumbs will become wet and messy.

Be generous with panko and press it over the korokke to ensure it doesn't fall off when it's frying.

Frying Temperature

The best way to cook korokke is by deep frying and the perfect temperature is between 170 to 180 degrees Celsius (340-355°F). This temperature allows outer coat to become beautifully crispy while sufficiently heating the filling.

If the temperature of the oil is too low, it will take too long to fry and the korokke will absorb too much oil, making it greasy and unpleasant.

On the other hand, if the heat is too high, the panko might burn while the middle is still cold. Since the inside is already cooked, you don't need to worry about it being undercooked... but you do want it to be hot all the way through!

Don't overcrowd the oil

When deep frying, it's important not to overcrowd the oil. The first reason is that adding too many will lower the temperature of the oil and make the korokke greasy.

The other reason is that too many in the pan will bump together and knock off the panko breadcrumbs. I recommend frying kabocha korokke in 2-3 batches depending on the size of your pan.

Storing

Kabocha korokke keeps very well in the freezer. Whether it's before or after frying, you can keep them in the freezer for about 1 month.

You can heat them up in the oven or under the grill.