In 1887, the French croquette was introduced to Japan. It is thought that the korokke using mashed potatoes was invented because dairy processing technology had not been popularized in Japan at that time.[1] The first mention of a "kuroketto" appears in cookery books from the
Meiji era.[2]
Korokke can be found in almost every supermarket and convenience store in Japan and enjoyed for its taste and its low cost.[3]
Korokke became associated with
typhoons in the 2000s, after a user on
2channel said they were eating some to prepare for an approaching typhoon, beginning a tradition that persisted on Japanese
social media.[2]
Varieties
There are numerous types of korokke depending on the main ingredient or the ingredient mixed and they are generally named (ingredient) korokke.
Potato korokke - korokke made using potatoes
Meat korokke - korokke made with
ground meat and potatoes.[2] If made with meat only, it is
menchi-katsu.
Tuna korokke - korokke with tuna
Yasai (vegetable) korokke - korokke with mixed vegetables
Guratan korokke - korokke with white sauce and macaroni
Korokke are sometimes sold wrapped in paper. They may also be used as a topping for other dishes. When sandwiched between two slices of bread, they are called korokke pan (pan being 'bread' in Japanese), or korokke sando ('sandwich'). Gurakoro is a product introduced by the Japanese
McDonald's which is made by sandwiching guratan korokke.