They are a Western-style fried dish, made by mixing boiled, mashed potatoes with white sauce (or similar sauces) and ingredients such as minced meat, before forming into rounded patties and coating with flour, eggs and breadcrumbs, followed by deep-frying. They are considered to be derived from the croquettes in French cooking. Thanks to a message posted on a certain forum, they are also frequently eaten during typhoons. 2ch meme.