by Zainab Shah

Beloved as both a snack and a centerpiece dish, these shallow-fried patties are made by encasing a spiced ground meat filling — often beef or lamb — in a smooth, seasoned layer of mashed potatoes, then pan-frying until golden brown. (The spices often vary depending on the cook’s background or preferences.)

INGREDIENTS

Yield:10 to 12 chops

FOR THE DOUGH

• 2 pounds russet potatoes, scrubbed 
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

FOR THE FILLING AND FRYING

• 1 cup ghee or vegetable oil, divided 
• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds 
• ½ small white or yellow onion, finely chopped 
• 2 teaspoons garlic paste or freshly grated garlic 
• 1 to 2 green bird’s-eye chiles, chopped 
• ½ pound lean ground beef or lamb 
• 1 ½ tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1 teaspoon garam masala, plus more to taste 
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste 
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste 
• 2 eggs
• ¾ cup panko bread crumbs
• Chutney (homemade or store-bought, Whole Foods Market), for serving

1. Start the dough: Add potatoes to a medium pot, cover with water by 1 inch and set on high heat. Once the water starts to boil, cook for 30 minutes, until there is little resistance when the potatoes are pierced with a fork. Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot, then fill with cold water and set aside to let the potatoes cool further.
2. Make the filling: In a large frying pan, heat 1 ½ tablespoons of the ghee for 30 seconds on high heat. Stir in cumin seeds. Add the onion, garlic and green chiles. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the beef and cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until it starts to crisp around the edges, about 7 minutes. Stir in cilantro, garam masala, salt and black pepper; adjust seasonings to taste. Transfer to a bowl and wipe out the pan.
3. Drain and peel the potatoes and transfer to a large bowl. Thoroughly mash using a fork or potato masher until any lumps are smoothed out. Add the cornstarch and 1 teaspoon salt and mix to form the dough. (You have to wait until they cool a little.)
4. Take ¼ cup dough and roll it between your palms to form a ball. Flatten the ball to form a 2 ½-inch-wide round, about ¾ inch thick. Form a well in the middle of the round with your thumbs and add 2 tablespoons of meat filling. Gently fold the sides of the dough over the filling until the filling is completely covered. Flatten again as needed to maintain the disc shape of the cutlet. Repeat to form the remaining cutlets. (You may have some filling left over; save it to enjoy over rice.)
5. Line a large plate with a paper towel and set aside. In a wide shallow bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Place bread crumbs in another wide shallow bowl.
6. Add the remaining ghee to the frying pan and heat on high until melted and shimmering. Dip a cutlet in egg, and then evenly coat in bread crumbs and gently place in the skillet; repeat to add 3 or 4 more cutlets to the pan. Fry cutlets until golden brown, 30 to 45 seconds per side, then transfer to the paper-towel-lined plate. Repeat to cook the remaining cutlets in batches.
7. Serve potato chops warm or at room temperature with chutney. (Refrigerate any extra chops for up to 2 days; reheat in a toaster oven or air fryer.

I am including the recipe for Japanese potato korokke that I have previously published. They are very similar and both delicious.

Potato Korokke

A NYT Recipe By Bryan Washington

Korokke, or Japanese croquettes, are comforting oval-shaped staples. The dish was introduced to Japan in the late 1800s and is said to have descended from French croquettes. These potato korokke consist of mashed potatoes folded into a mixture of onion, grated carrot and ground beef. Leftovers can be reheated.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 medium russet potatoes (2 1/2 pounds)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil, such as canola, plus more for frying
• ½ white onion, minced
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and shredded (optional)
• ½ pound ground beef (I used 3/4 pound)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar (Sugar may not be necessary if using shredded carrot.)
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more to taste
•  Salt
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups panko bread crumbs
•  Tonkatsu sauce, store-bought

PREPARATION

1. Set a medium pot of water to boil. As the water heats, wash, peel and quarter potatoes.
2. Set potatoes in boiling water and cook until they’ve softened enough to pierce easily with a fork, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain potatoes in a colander. While potatoes are still warm, return them to the pot. Mash them until you’re left with a fluffy mixture, fold in butter until melted and set aside.
3. While potatoes simmer, prepare the meat: Heat a skillet over medium, and add 1 tablespoon oil. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes, then add the carrot and the beef. Cook, breaking the meat into bits, and add soy sauce, sugar and pepper. Continue cooking and stirring until the meat is cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Add beef mixture to mashed potatoes in pot, and stir until thoroughly mixed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let mixture cool until it’s warm (but not cold).
5. With your palms, form the warm mixture into 1-inch-thick oval-shaped patties no longer than 3 inches in length. Set the patties on a baking sheet as you form them. You should end up with 10 to 12 patties.
6. Cover the patties loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate to cool for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, organize your breading station: Place flour in a shallow plate, beat eggs in a shallow bowl and spread panko on another plate.
7. Remove patties from fridge, and begin the breading process: Dip 1 patty into flour, covering completely. Then transfer to the beaten egg, covering completely. Then transfer to the panko, being sure to cover each patty completely. As you complete each patty, set back on the baking sheet before continuing with the next patty.
8. Fill a medium saucepan with oil to a depth of 1 1/2 inches and heat to 340 degrees. Deep-fry korokke in batches of 2 at a time. (If you add too many, the oil’s temperature will drop too drastically.) Fry, turning once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. They’re already cooked inside, so use their color as your guide. Transfer to a cooling rack or a plate lined with paper towels, and repeat with the remaining korokke. Continually regulate the oil’s temperature throughout — if the heat is too high, the korokke will burn, and if it’s too cold, then your korokke will be soggy.
9. Serve hot, with tonkatsu sauce, if you’d like.