Wu Gok Schnitty
Wu Gok Schnitty
Ingredients
For the Taro Puff Casing Dough
- 200 g wheat starch
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 250 ml boiling water, very hot
- 30 g unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
For the Filling
- 400 g taro, diced
- 4 pork chops, bone-in or boneless, flattened
For Frying
- 2 L vegetable oil, for deep frying
For Serving Sauce
- 1/2 cup Kewpie mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup crème fraîche
- 1/4 cup chili oil, or as needed
Instructions
- 1
In a large mixing bowl, combine the wheat starch, granulated sugar, and salt. Pour in the very hot boiling water and mix immediately with a spoon until the mixture is partially cooked and lumpy.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Add the softened unsalted butter and baking powder to the starch mixture. Wearing heat-resistant gloves, use your hands to thoroughly mix and knead the butter and baking powder into the starch mixture until a smooth, uniform dough forms. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and set it aside.
⏱️ 10 min
- 3
Place the diced taro into a steamer basket. Steam the taro for 20 minutes, or until it is extremely tender and easily mashed.
⏱️ 20 min
- 4
Transfer the steamed taro to a bowl and mash it thoroughly with a fork until smooth.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
Add the mashed taro to the prepared wheat starch dough. Mix and knead the taro and dough together until well combined and a homogeneous dough ball is formed. Cover the combined dough with plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes.
⏱️ 10 min
- 6
Place each pork chop between two sheets of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin or meat mallet, flatten each pork chop to an even thickness, about 1/4 inch (0.6 cm).
⏱️ 10 min
- 7
Divide the taro dough into 4 equal portions. On a piece of parchment paper, roll out one portion of the taro dough to a size large enough to completely encase one flattened pork chop. The dough should be about 1/2 cm thick.
⏱️ 5 min
- 8
Place one flattened pork chop onto the rolled-out dough. Carefully encase the meat on all sides with the dough, ensuring the dough thickness is at least 1/2 cm. Form it into the shape of a schnitzel, leaving the bone exposed if using a bone-in chop. Repeat with the remaining pork chops and dough.
⏱️ 15 min
- 9
Heat the vegetable oil in a deep pot or deep fryer to 170°C (340°F). Test the oil temperature by dropping a small extra piece of dough into the hot oil; it should effervesce (bubble) but not disintegrate, and the taro casing should not immediately set.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 170
- 10
Carefully lower one taro-encased pork chop into the hot oil. Fry until the shell has 'bloomed' and achieved its characteristic puffy, flaky texture. This usually takes about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min
- 11
Increase the oil temperature slightly to 180°C (350°F) and continue frying the schnitzel until it is golden brown and cooked through. This will take another 3-5 minutes. Remove the schnitzel from the oil and place it on a wire rack to drain and rest. Repeat for the remaining schnitzels.
⏱️ 8 min•🌡️ 180
- 12
Let the schnitzels rest on the wire rack for 10 minutes before serving.
⏱️ 10 min
- 13
While the schnitzels are resting, prepare the serving sauce. In a small bowl, combine the Kewpie mayonnaise and crème fraîche in equal parts. Mix well until smooth. Pour the chili oil into a separate small dish.
⏱️ 5 min
- 14
Serve the Taro Puff Schnitzel hot with the mixed Kewpie and crème fraîche sauce and chili oil on the side for dipping.
Kitchen Tools
Wu Gok Schnitty
For the Taro Puff Casing Dough
- 200 g wheat starch
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 250 ml boiling water, very hot
- 30 g unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
For the Filling
- 400 g taro, diced
- 4 pork chops, bone-in or boneless, flattened
For Frying
- 2 L vegetable oil, for deep frying
For Serving Sauce
- 1/2 cup Kewpie mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup crème fraîche
- 1/4 cup chili oil, or as needed
Instructions
- 1
In a large mixing bowl, combine the wheat starch, granulated sugar, and salt. Pour in the very hot boiling water and mix immediately with a spoon until the mixture is partially cooked and lumpy.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Add the softened unsalted butter and baking powder to the starch mixture. Wearing heat-resistant gloves, use your hands to thoroughly mix and knead the butter and baking powder into the starch mixture until a smooth, uniform dough forms. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and set it aside.
⏱️ 10 min - 3
Place the diced taro into a steamer basket. Steam the taro for 20 minutes, or until it is extremely tender and easily mashed.
⏱️ 20 min - 4
Transfer the steamed taro to a bowl and mash it thoroughly with a fork until smooth.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
Add the mashed taro to the prepared wheat starch dough. Mix and knead the taro and dough together until well combined and a homogeneous dough ball is formed. Cover the combined dough with plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes.
⏱️ 10 min - 6
Place each pork chop between two sheets of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin or meat mallet, flatten each pork chop to an even thickness, about 1/4 inch (0.6 cm).
⏱️ 10 min - 7
Divide the taro dough into 4 equal portions. On a piece of parchment paper, roll out one portion of the taro dough to a size large enough to completely encase one flattened pork chop. The dough should be about 1/2 cm thick.
⏱️ 5 min - 8
Place one flattened pork chop onto the rolled-out dough. Carefully encase the meat on all sides with the dough, ensuring the dough thickness is at least 1/2 cm. Form it into the shape of a schnitzel, leaving the bone exposed if using a bone-in chop. Repeat with the remaining pork chops and dough.
⏱️ 15 min - 9
Heat the vegetable oil in a deep pot or deep fryer to 170°C (340°F). Test the oil temperature by dropping a small extra piece of dough into the hot oil; it should effervesce (bubble) but not disintegrate, and the taro casing should not immediately set.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 170 - 10
Carefully lower one taro-encased pork chop into the hot oil. Fry until the shell has 'bloomed' and achieved its characteristic puffy, flaky texture. This usually takes about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min - 11
Increase the oil temperature slightly to 180°C (350°F) and continue frying the schnitzel until it is golden brown and cooked through. This will take another 3-5 minutes. Remove the schnitzel from the oil and place it on a wire rack to drain and rest. Repeat for the remaining schnitzels.
⏱️ 8 min•🌡️ 180 - 12
Let the schnitzels rest on the wire rack for 10 minutes before serving.
⏱️ 10 min - 13
While the schnitzels are resting, prepare the serving sauce. In a small bowl, combine the Kewpie mayonnaise and crème fraîche in equal parts. Mix well until smooth. Pour the chili oil into a separate small dish.
⏱️ 5 min - 14
Serve the Taro Puff Schnitzel hot with the mixed Kewpie and crème fraîche sauce and chili oil on the side for dipping.