Japanese beef and potato croquettes

Heat chicken fat in the wok over moderate heat and cook about 8 ounces of ground beef.

Add carrots, garlic, onions and a little salt and cook until the onions and carrots soften.

Boil russet potatoes and spread them out to dry a little; add butter and salt.

Mash the potatoes with the meat mixture until chunky but smooth enough to hold together; taste for seasoning.

If the mixture will not hold a ball, fold in instant mashed potato flakes as needed.

Set up a breading station of flour, eggs beaten smooth, and panko breadcrumbs.

Shape the mixture into hand-size croquettes, or a mix of sizes.

Coat in flour and toss off the excess, then egg with one wet hand, then breadcrumbs sprinkled on top and rolled with the dry hand; toss off the excess.

Lower the croquettes into the hot oil close to the surface, dropping away from you, or lower them in a spider.

Keep them moving in the oil so they cook faster and brown evenly, until golden.

Remove and salt straight away so the salt sticks.

Serve with tonkatsu (bulldog) sauce.