Tag: appetizer
Kabocha Korokke (Japanese Pumpkin Croquettes)
Kabocha Korokke (Japanese Pumpkin Croquettes)
Korokke are the Japanese equivalent of a potato croquet. You can use kabocha pumpkin, sweet potatoes, ir just regular potatoes when preparing this savory appetizer. The korroke can be shaped into oval sized patties or into smaller ping pong sized balls. Once formed, place on a parchment paper lined baking pan in the freezer to firm up. Then dredge them in flour, egg, then panko breadcrumbs. The korroke fry for a couple of minutes a side u til golden brown and crispy. Serve the korroke with tonkatsu sauce.
Equipment
- potato masher
Ingredients
- 1 lb kabocha squash seeded and cut into cubes
- 1/2 lb ground beef
- 1/2 medium onion finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 large egg beaten
- panko breadcrumbs
- vegetable oil for frying
- tonkatsu sauce
Instructions
- Place the kabocha in a steamer. Steam for 10 minutes.
- Place the kabocha in a bowl and mash with a potato masher.
- Brown the ground beef in a small sauté pan over medium high heat for 5 minutes.
- Add in the onions and cook for 2 minutes. Drain any excess oil.
- Mix in the ground beef and onions, salt, pepper, and nutmeg to the mashed kabocha. Let cool.
- Form the dough into 6-8 oval shaped patties. Place on a baking sheet lined in parchment paper. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes.
- Dredge the croquettes in flour, then egg, then panko breadcrumbs.
- Heat up 1” of vegetable oil in a sauté pan over medium high heat. Place some of the croquettes into the oil, frying in two batches.
- Fry for 3-4 minutes a side until crispy and golden brown.
- Drain the drain the grease on a wire rack.
Shrimp Toast
Shrimp Toast
Growing up, shrimp toast was one of my favorite appetizers when we’d order takeout Chinese. Shrimp toast is really more Chinese/American fusion, but there’s nothing wrong with that. You’ll never want to order it again once you learn how easy it is to make. The shrimp mix gets pulverized in a food processor, spread on white bread, cut into triangles, then lightly pan fried in under 5 minutes. Drain the grease from the shrimp toast on a rack instead of paper towels to keep them crispy.
Equipment
- food processor
Ingredients
- 8 oz shrimp peeled and deveined; tail removed
- 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
- 2 green onions chopped
- 1 tsp ginger grated
- 1/4 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1 egg
- 4 slices white bread
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Place the shrimp, cilantro, green onions, sesame oil, ginger, salt, sugar, egg, and cornstarch in a food processor.
- Process until smooth.
- Equally distribute the shrimp mixture on 4 slices of bread.
- Sprinkle the sesame seeds on top. Gently press them in.
- Cut the bread into 4.
- Heat up a 1/4 cup of vegetable oil in a sauté pan over medium high heat. Place the bread shrimp side down into the oil.
- Cook for 3 minutes. Flip over and cook for 1 more minute.
- Drain the grease on a wire rack.
Sichuan Mala Chicken
Sichuan Mala Chicken
This is real deal authentic Sichuan food. Mala chicken is Sichuan-style spicy fried chicken. While hot and numbing in the best way, the chicken looks and sounds spicier than it really is. It’s definitely not Thai-spicy. Chunks of chicken are marinated and coated with spicy seasoned cornstarch. The pieces are shallow pan fried, then tossed with sautéed whole Sichuan dried chilies, garlic, ginger, and green onions. The Sichuan peppercorns that are infused in the oil, and also ground in the cornstarch coating, adds a numbing sensation to the dish that makes the chicken highly addictive.
Ingredients
Marinade and Coating
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs cubed
- 1 tbsp shaoxing cooking wine
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp ground Sichuan peppercorns
- 1 tsp salt
Spice Mix
- 1 cup whole Sichuan dried chilies
- 2 tbsp Sichuan chili flakes
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 tsp sugar
To Cook
- vegetable oil for frying
- 2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
- 5 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp ginger grated
- 4 green onions chopped
- 1 cup cilantro
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken with the shaoxing cooking wine and soy sauce for 15 minutes.
- Mix together the cornstarch, cayenne, ground Sichuan peppercorns, and salt.
- Toss the marinated chicken with the cornstarch mix, making sure the pieces are evenly coated.
- Heat up 1/2” of cooking oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add in half of the coated chicken in a single layer, making sure to not overcrowd the pan.
- Fry the chicken in 2 batches, for 4 minutes a side. Drain grease on a rack.
- Save 2 tbsp of the cooking oil. Toast the Sichuan peppercorns in the oil for 1 minute. Remove the peppercorns from the pan.
- Add in the garlic, ginger, and green onion. Sauté for 1 minute.
- Toss in the spice mix. Sauté for 1 minute.
- Add the chicken back. Toss with the whole chilies.
- Turn off the heat. Toss in chopped cilantro.
