Japanese-Style Panko Piroshki with Glass Noodles and Egg (Russian × Japanese)

Method

1. Warm the milk in a small pot over low heat for 1 min, just to body temperature (37 °C), then stir in the sugar and yeast and wait 5 minutes until foamy. Add the flour, salt and oil and knead for 8 min into a smooth, soft, slightly tacky dough.

   Add in this stepMilk 120 mlSugar 1½ tspInstant dried yeast 1 tspPlain flour 200 gSalt ½ tspVegetable oil (dough) 4 tsp

   low heat

2. Cover the dough and leave it somewhere warm for 1 h, until doubled. Meanwhile, soak the glass noodles in hot water for 5 to 8 minutes until soft, drain well and cut them into 2 cm lengths with scissors.

   Add in this stepDried glass noodles (harusame or sweet potato noodles) 20 g

3. Heat the oil in a 20 cm frying pan over medium heat and cook the pork for 5 min, breaking it up, until no pink remains. Add the onion and shiitake and cook until soft, then add the noodles, soy sauce, oyster sauce and a little white pepper and stir for 3 min, until the noodles soak up all the liquid. Cool completely, then fold in the chopped egg.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil (filling) 1 tbspMinced pork 120 gOnion, finely chopped ½Fresh shiitake mushrooms, finely chopped 2Soy sauce 2 tspOyster sauce 1 tspWhite pepper to tasteHard-boiled egg, chopped 1

   medium heat

4. Knock back the dough and divide it into 6 pc. Flatten each into a 10 cm round, add a heaped tablespoon of filling, pinch the edges firmly closed and shape into a fat oval, seam side down. Rest for 10 min under a cloth.

5. Brush each piroshki all over with the beaten egg, then roll it in panko, pressing gently so the crumbs stick in an even layer. The panko is what makes them so crunchy.

   Add in this stepEgg, beaten (coating) 1Panko breadcrumbs 35 g

6. Pour the oil about 1 cm deep into a 20 cm heavy frying pan and heat over medium-high heat for 5 min to 165 °C; a panko crumb should sizzle steadily, not burn. Keep water, children and pets well away from the hot oil.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil (for frying) 320 ml

   medium-high heat

7. Lower the piroshki in gently, away from you, and fry in 2 batches on medium-low heat for 2 min 30 sec per side, turning often, until evenly golden brown. Panko colours faster than plain dough, so a slightly lower heat lets the bun cook through. Drain upright on a rack or kitchen paper.

   medium-low heat