Korokke facts for kids
Korokke (pronounced ko-ROK-keh) is a super popular Japanese snack. It's a delicious deep-fried dish. It's actually based on a French food called a croquette. To make Korokke, chefs mix cooked ingredients like meat, seafood, or vegetables. They blend these with creamy mashed potato or a special white sauce. Then, they shape it into a flat patty. This patty is then coated in flour, eggs, and crispy Japanese-style breadcrumbs. Finally, it's deep-fried until it's golden brown and crunchy on the outside.
History of Korokke
The idea for Korokke came from France. The French croquette was first brought to Japan in 1887. At that time, Japan didn't have much dairy farming. So, people think the Japanese version, using mashed potatoes, was invented because milk products were not common. The very first mentions of "kuroketto" (an early name for Korokke) appeared in Japanese cookbooks during the Meiji era.
Today, you can find Korokke almost everywhere in Japan. It's sold in nearly every supermarket and convenience store. People love it because it tastes great and is very affordable.
In the 2000s, Korokke became linked to typhoons in Japan. This started when someone on a Japanese online forum called 2channel said they were eating Korokke to get ready for an approaching typhoon. This simple comment began a fun tradition. Now, many people on Japanese social media continue this tradition when a typhoon is coming.
Different Kinds of Korokke
There are many exciting types of Korokke! The name usually tells you what the main ingredient is. Here are some popular kinds:
- Potato Korokke - This is the classic version, made mainly with mashed potatoes.
- Meat Korokke - This type mixes ground meat with potatoes. If it's made only with meat and no potato, it's called menchi-katsu.
- Tuna Korokke - This one features delicious tuna mixed in.
- Yasai Korokke - Yasai means vegetable in Japanese. This Korokke is made with a mix of different vegetables.
- Curry Korokke - This Korokke has a yummy curry flavor.
- Kabocha Korokke - Kabocha is Japanese pumpkin. This Korokke is made using sweet pumpkins.
- Okara Korokke - This unique Korokke uses okara, which is a byproduct from making tofu.
- Cream Korokke - Instead of mashed potatoes, this Korokke uses a creamy white sauce inside.
- Guratan Korokke - This is a special cream Korokke. It has white sauce and macaroni pasta inside, like a mini gratin!
Sometimes, Korokke is sold wrapped in paper, making it easy to eat on the go. It can also be a topping for other dishes, like a bowl of noodles. When Korokke is placed between two slices of bread, it's called korokke pan (pan means bread in Japanese) or korokke sando (sando means sandwich). There's even a special guratan korokke sandwich called Gurakoro sold at Japanese McDonald's restaurants!
See also
In Spanish: Korokke para niños
