ANEKA KROKET/CROQUETTE

My kids are so fond of croquette. I first have it in a company of friends during my trip to Surabaya, it was something new for me at that moment. Its delicious, soft inside and crunchy outside. Its a very easy recipe and be a great finger food for parties, tea and can be served as an appetizer during dinner. On my returned to Malaysia I did some search on croquette. To my surprise it was internationally known snacks. Croquette as it was known in French, Kroketten in Belgium, Korokke in Japanese is a delicious mouth watering dish popular in Netherlands.  Croquette came from a French verb croquer which means "to bite with a crisp crunch". Its basically a ragout fried in breadcrumbs. The base ingredient of the ragout is meat. Different sorts of meat are used, depending on the target quality and taste of the croquet. Potatoes, tuna, shrimp, vegetables, spinach and cheese are popular varieties. You can put anything in it. It's a great left over recipe. Just be creative to make do with what ever left over you have for a great dish. Serve best with sauce, mustard or even chutney.

It can be a little bit taxing to prepare, since it involves three processes, the ragout, the fillings and the breading but you can make it, freeze it and fry it later. Anyway it worth the efforts and your children will definitely love it. 

Paty's Kitchen croquette is courtesy of my aunt who is an Indonesian origin. She makes delicious food but this is the only one that I can remember. Our version of croquette is quite different from the usual, I don't mix all the ingredient but prefer to stuff it as a filling.  This is another way of using the ragout for variety of fillings. Try this, you will love it.

BEEF/CHICKEN CROQUETTE


INGREDIENTS


The Ragout


2 glass water
2 1/2 glass flour
1 glass fresh milk
3 tbsp butter
1/2 cube chicken stock
1/4 tsp nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste


The Filling


1 packet minced beef/chicken (Ramlee's or Ayamas)
2 potato - cut into small cube
1 carrot - shred
1/2 cup green peas
5 garlics - pounded or blend
1 inch ginger pounded or blend
2 onions - dice into cube
1/2 tsp - white cumin powder - (optional)
1/2 tsp - aniseed powder - (optional)
1/2 tsp paprika
salts and pepper
2 tbs butter for sauteing


The Breading


2 eggs - whisk lightly
Breadcrumbs


METHOD

1. Marinate beef/chicken with blended garlics and ginger. Add cumin powder, paprika, aniseed powder, pepper and salt . Put aside for an hour. Begin with sauteing onions and potatoes. Add in the marinated beef/chicken. Stir until brown and cook.
2. Boil water in a saucepan over low heat.  Add in chicken stocks, pepper, salts, milk and butter. Gradually stir in flour,stir to blend well and smooth Remove from heat, and set aside to cool to room temperature.It is easier to bread them when they are cold.
3. When the meat mixture is cooled and slightly firm, use your hand to shape into cylinders 3 to 4 inches long, and 1 1 /2 inches wide. If you wish, press cheddar cheese into the center, making sure it is completely surrounded. 
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water. Place bread crumbs on a plate or tray. Coat croquettes with flour, then dip in the beaten egg mixture, then roll the croquettes in the crumbs to coat. Repeat the coating process if a thicker breading is desired.
5. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, fry croquettes until golden brown on all sides. If you have a deep-fryer, they can be deep-fried instead. Remove to paper towels to drain, and serve hot.

To Serve

Serve them really hot. Typically the Dutch serve them with mustard. Asian will normally serve it with chili sauce. I love to have it with leftover sambal or asam pedas.


You can also serve croquette with bread. Apply croquette as how you prepare hamburgers.  Yummy..........

For Variety

As croquette are meant to make do with the left over you have, you can use your creativity to innovate it. Some suggestions :-

Fish/Tuna Croquette - prepare as what you did for tuna sandwich

Cheese Croquette- Stuff with mozarella, parmesan or cheddar cheese, parsley    
and nutmeg

Spinach Croquette - blanch spinach and add some cheese

Potato croquette - the ragout is potatoes-Japanese style
Shrimp Croquette - shrimp, cheese and chives


                                                                             Approximately - 35 pcs

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KROKET DAGING / AYAM


Walaupun renyah tetapi ternyata sajian ini enak dan menjadi kegemaran anak-anak. Boleh dibekukan untuk kegunaan kemudian hari.  Satu sajian yang boleh disediakan untuk untuk kunjungan mengejut. Kroket juga boleh disediakan untuk majlis-majlis koktail dan party-party kecil di rumah.


BAHAN


Bahan untuk Tepung/kulitnya


2 gelas air
2 1/2 gelas tepung gandum
1 gelas susu segar
1/2 kube pati ayam
3 sdb butter
1/4 sdt serbuk pala
lada sulah dan garam secukup rasa


Bahan untuk Intinya


1 packet daging kisar (Ramlee atau Ayamas)
2 biji kentang - dipotong dadu
1 batang karat - diparut
1/2 cawan kacang peas
2 biji bawang besar didadu
5 ulas bawang putih - dikisar bersama halia
1 inci halia - dikisar bersama bawang putih
1/2 sdt serbuk jintan manis
1/2 sdt serbuk jintan putih
1/2 sdt serbuk paprika
lada dan garam secukup rasa
2 sdb mentega untuk menumis


Bahan Pencelup

2 butir putih telur - pukul ringan


Bahan Pelapis


Serbuk roti secukupnya


Bahan Pelengkap


Ikut selera anda. Boleh dimakan dengan mayonis, mustard, cili sos dsb.

CARA MEMBUATNYA

1. Perapkan daging/ayam dengan bahan kisar - bawang putih dan halia. Masukan serbuk jintan manis, serbuk jintan putih, serbuk paprika, lada sulah dan garam. Perap 1 jam dan ketepikan.
2. Panaskan mentega. Tumis bawang besar sehingga terbit aroma. Masukan kentang yang didadu dan daging yang diperapkan tadi. Kacau hingga ubi empuk dan berubah warnaya. Masukan karot dan kacang peas. Kacau rata dan padamkan api dan biarkan sejuk.
3. Dalam periuk yang lain, didihkan air, masukan lada sulah, garam, pati stok ayam dan serbuk buah pala. Kacau perlahan-lahan. Masukan tepung gandum kacau sehingga  bergumpal. Terus kacau sehingga adunan menjadi lincin dan tidak melekat diperiuk. Angkat dan sejukkan. 
4. Ambil sedikit adunan. Bentukan bulat dan keperkan untuk diletakkan inti daging/ayam yang disejukan tadi. Bentukan dalam bentuk longjung.
5. Celup ke dalam putih telur yang dipukul rinagn tadi. Gulingkan diserbuk roti
6. Goreng dalam minyak yang telah dipanaskan di atas api sederhana sehingga masak. Toskan dan hidang panas.

Cara Hidangan

Hidangkan panas-panas bersama bahan pelengkap mengikut cita rasa anda. Saya lebih gemar memakan kroket dengan sambal tumis atau asam pedas. Kroket juga boleh dihidang bersama roti. Cara persediaan sama seperti kita membuat burger.

Selain daripada daging/ayam,  anda juga boleh membuat kroket dengan bahan-bahan seperti berikut : Gunakan adunan asas dan bahan-bahan berikut sebagai intinya. Semuanya bergantung kepada cita rasa dan kreativiti anda.

Kroket Kentang - Lebih digemari oleh masyarkat Jepun. Kentang digunakan menganti adunan tepung berintikan daging.

Kroket Bayam - Bayam dicelurkan dan campurkan dengan keju - dijadikan inti

Kroket Tuna - cara penyediaan tunba sama seperti kita membuat sandwich

Kroket Keju - dijadikan inti biasanya keju yang digunakan ialah mozeralla, cheddar atau parmesan

Kroket Udang - dimasak bersama keju dan kucai.


                                                                              Anggaran - 35 biji
Selamat mencuba.

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