Korokke (Japanese Croquette) コロッケ

Korokke (Japanese Croquette) is by far my favorite food. My record for one dinner is four pieces.  Shhhh…  I shouldn’t be too proud of my big appetite. I know Korokke takes a long time to make, but if you like Korokke, this homemade Korokke won’t disappoint you at all.  Homemade Korokke beats restaurant Korokke anytime.
For filling you can add anything you like I'm not much fond of meat so I'm using chicken ground meat. You can use shrimp, seafood or even meat too.

Ingredients:

2 lb. (about 4) russet potatoes, peeled and halved

1 large onion, finely diced½ carrots, finely diced (optional)
2 Shiitake mushrooms (optional) you can use any other mushroom too.
2 Tbsp. oil
1/2 kg ground chicken meat
1 egg
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. white pepper
Freshly ground black pepper
3 eggs for the breading
2 cup Panko(panko is Japanese breadcrumbs you can use simple breadcrumbs too)
½ cup all purpose flour
Oil for deep frying

Method:

In a large pot, put water and potatoes and bring it to a boil. Cook potatoes until a skewer goes through the potato easily.

Remove the potato from the heat and drain the water completely.

Move the pot back to the stove. On low heat shift the pot so that remaining moisture will completely evaporate (but don’t burn them).

Turn off the heat and mash the potatoes. Unlike mashed potato, you don’t have to mash completely. You can want to leave some small chunks for texture. Set aside.

Meanwhile, chop onion, carrot, and mushrooms finely.

In a large skillet, heat oil on medium high heat. Sauté onion until soft.

Add carrot and Shiitake mushrooms and cook until they are soft.

Add the meat and break it up with a wooden spoon. When the meat is cooked through, add salt, white pepper, and black pepper. Set aside.

When both mashed potato and meat mixture are ready, add the meat mixture into mashed potato in the large pot. Make sure you leave the liquid behind. We only want dry ingredients into the pot. Discard any liquid left in the pan.

Add an egg and mix all together until everything is well combined.

Set aside till cool down a bit (so you can actually hold the mixture with your hands).

While the mixture is still warm, but not hot, start making Korokke balls.

Dredge each ball in flour,egg and panko

In a wok (or frying pan), heat oil over medium high heat. Deep fry Korokke until they are golden brown.Inside is already cooked, so all you need to do is to make it nice brown color.

Transfer Korokke to paper towels and let the oil absorbed in the paper

       NOW ENJOY YOUR KOROKKE!!

Chicken Empanada

Chicken Empanada is a type of pastry that is stuffed with chicken meat, potato, carrots, and sweet peas. This is made by placing the  filling in the middle of a flattened dough and sealing it by pinching and folding the edges. Similar types of Empanadas are also common in Spain and South America. In fact, the Cuban Picadillo almost resembles the Filipino Empanada in ingredients and taste.

Empanada can be fried or baked. This chicken empanada recipe is involves baking because it gives the crust more flaky texture. If you prefer your emapanada fried, you can always deep fry this chicken empanada.

Try this extra-ordinary Empanada recipe. Send us your feedback.

Ingredients

Filling

1 1/2 lb boneless chicken breast, cut into cubes
1 piece medium-sized onion, minced
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1 cup potato, diced
1 cup carrot, diced
1 cup green peas
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp sugar
1/2 piece chicken cube
2 tbsp cooking oil

Dough

3 cups flour
4 tbsp sugar
6 tbsp water, cold
1 piece raw egg
1 cup butter, cold
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Cooking Procedure

Make the Filing by pouring the cooking oil in a pan and then allow it to heat-up

Once the oil is hot, saute the garlic and onions

Add the chicken breast then cook until color turns light brown (about 5 minutes)

Add water and chicken cube then simmer for 10 minutes

Put-in carrots and potatoes and simmer for 5 minutesAdd the green peas, raisins, and sugar then simmer for another 5 minutesSprinkle salt and pepper.

Turn off the heat, drain the excess liquid, and set aside.

Make the dough by combining the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl starting with the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix well using a wire whisk.

Cut the butter into small thin pieces place in the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients.(the butter should be cold and solid before doing this)

Add water gradually and mix all the ingredients thoroughly until a dough is formed.

You may use a pastry blender to easen the process.Divide the dough into individual pieces by grabbing a piece from the whole mixture and rolling it in your hand until a spherical shape is formed.

Do this until all the dough is consumed. Set aside in a cool place for at least 20 minutesFlatten the spherical dough py pressing it with your palm against a flat surface.

Use a rolling pin to flatten it fully while creating a round shape.Arrange about a quarter to half a cup of filling (the chicken that you cooked in the first few steps) at the middle of the flattened dough. Fold the dough so that opposite ends meet (you should have formed a half moon shaped dough)then press the edges and seal.

After all the fillings are consumed, crack the egg and separate the white from the yolk. Beat the egg white lightly and mix a little water.Glaze the crust by brushing the egg wash.

Put a wax paper on top of a baking tray or grease the baking tray then arranged the sealed doughs.Pre-heat oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes.

Bake the sealed doughs for 25 minutes at the same temperature.

Remove from the oven.

Serve hot. Share and Enjoy!

Chocolate Marble Cake

Marble Cake I first learn when I search on Internet about cake types. There I find marble cake and then I start thinking why it called Marble Cake. It's  just one of  a stupid question I always ask to myself.
Today its tea time treat lets learn how it made. Truth to be told I really enjoy my first making of marble cake.

Ingredients:
225g butter, softened
225g caster sugar
4 eggs
225g self-raising flour
3 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp cocoa powder

Method:

1.Heat oven to 180C/gas 160C/gas 4. Grease a 20cm cake tin and line the bottom with a circle of greaseproof paper. If you want to make life easy, simply put all the ingredients (except the cocoa powder) into a food processor and whizz for 1-2 mins until smooth. If you prefer to mix by hand, beat the butter and sugar together, then add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Fold through the flour, milk and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth.

2.Divide the mixture between 2 bowls. Stir the cocoa powder into the mixture in one of the bowls. Take 2 spoons and use them to dollop the chocolate and vanilla cake mixes into the tin alternately. When all the mixture has been used up (and if young kids are doing this, you’ll need to ensure the base of the tin is fairly evenly covered), tap the bottom on your work surface to ensure that there aren’t any air bubbles. Take a skewer and swirl it around the mixture in the tin a few times to create a marbled effect.

3.Bake the cake for 45-55 mins until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Turn out onto a cooling rack and leave to cool. Will keep for 3 days in an airtight container or freeze for up to 3 months.