Goan Mince Croquettes

Goan croquettes are, perhaps, the most 'looked-forward to snack' for children and adults alike. They are hassle-free when it comes to being consumed and only a little time-consuming when it comes to actually cooking them but they are tremendously delicious when it comes to taste and leave the tongue begging for more!

Traditionally, Goan croquettes would mean a beef croquette, but now, clearly, times have changed. Whatever your choice of meat, a croquette classically refers to a cylindrical finger food where a mix is combined with a binder, shaped and coated with breadcrumbs to be fried. The following recipe guides you on how to make a crispy-crumb coated, internally moist croquette which you'd usually taste at most Goan weddings :)

Tips:

• Goan suasages (choris) provide the flavor that takes the dish to a whole new level, so if possible, don't skip it. However, if you choose to not use them, the recipe is still great!
• Some folks add water to the mince/kheema while cooking it; I don't believe that is necessary as meat tends to leech out its own juices after a while. Also, too much moisture will make it difficult for the croquette to hold its shape.
• I've used brown bread to make my crumbs, hence, my batch of croquettes have a richer brown; white bread would allow for a lighter golden coat.

Ingredients:

• 500 grams minced meat
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 tablespoon Ginger-Garlic paste
• Juice of 1 Lemon
• 5 Cloves
• 20 Peppercorns
• 1-inch Cinnamon stick
• 2 medium Onions, sliced
• 1 Tomato, chopped
• 2 Green Chilies, chopped
• 10 Goan sausages (Choris), small size
• 1 Potato, peeled and diced
• Oil for cooking
• Salt to taste

Ingredients for Assembling the croquettes:

• The ground minced meat mixture
• 1 Egg, whole
• 2 Tablespoons Ketchup
• 3/4th cup Breadcrumbs + extra for coating
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Marinate the minced meat with salt, ginger-garlic paste and lime juice and leave it aside for 15-20 minutes.

2. In a vessel heat 2-3 tablespoons of oil and then add the whole spices. When they start to pop, add the chopped chilies and sliced onions and fry till translucent; add some salt to quicken the process.

3. Add the chopped tomatoes and fry till soft. Add the marinated kheema and give a good stir. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.

4. Uncover and add the Goan sausages, mix, and then add the diced potatoes and again cover and cook. (I usually leave the potatoes on the surface for a couple of minutes to prevent lowering the temperature of the cooking meat, and then, mix them all together.)

5. Cook till the potatoes are cooked through and then turn off the flame; this may take about 10 minutes. Allow this to cool for a while.

6. Once cooled, grind the meat to a thick consistency.

7. Create a dough-like mix by combining the ground meat mixture with the egg, ketchup, a little salt, and breadcrumbs. Adjust the quantity of the breadcrumbs depending on the moistness of your meat paste. However, do remember, that too much can lead to a dry croquette.

8. For forming the croquette, shape a handful of the mix into a cylinder, coat it with breadcrumbs and then roll it over a flat surface (eg. a plate) to achieve a perfect cylindrical shape.

9. Deep fry the croquettes for 2-3 minutes till browned. Serve warm with your choice of dips!

Any questions are welcome in the comments section below :)

Dev Borem Korum | Thanks and God Bless