Tonkatsu (Japanese Breaded Pork)

Make it fun. It doesn’t have to be complicated. It will be what it will be – I’m loving this quote that I picked up from Gwyneth Patrow’s cook book. It’s exactly how I feel about cooking, I just could not articulate it…it applies to my life as well. :)

Here’s an easy and uncomplicated dish that I like to make for my family. I like to serve this with sauteed cabbage with a touch of turmeric which gives a nice color to the cabbage- it’s our favorite side dish!

Ton means pork, Katsu (in Japanese cuisine) could mean any meat cutlet that is pounded, breaded and fried

(This is for my Andie, who’s current interest now is Japanese language and Japanese food :))

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dredge each pork chop/cutlet with flour, then dip it in egg..

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..coat with panko breadcrumbs. Wheever I ran out of panko I like to use desiccated coconut as sub…yum

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yummy pork katsu!!

TONKATSU (豚カツ, とんかつ)
Makes 4-5 servings

Ingredients
4 butterflied pork chops (boneless pork chops)
1 egg, beaten
panko bread crumbs, about a cup
salt and pepper
all-purpose flour, about half cup
vegetable oil for frying ( I use about a cup)

Tonkatsu sauce (optional) recipe follows
shredded cabbage (as much as you like)

Heat oil in a deep frying pan or if you have deep-fryer, preheat it now. . Put flour on a shallow plate and lightly season with salt and pepper. Do the same for the panko bread cumbs on another plate.

Season pork chops with salt and pepper then dredge pork in seasoned flour, shake off excess then dip the pork in beaten egg. Coat pork with panko and pat well. Fry breaded pork for a few minutes. Turn the pork over and fry a few more minutes or until cooked through and browned.

Remove pork from the oil and drain on paper towels. Cut each tonkatsu into small pieces and serve sauteed cabbage. Pour some tonkatsu sauce over them if you like. Enjoy!

Pour out the oil from the pan, just leave about 1 teaspoon, add shredded cabbage, turn heat to medium high , season with salt and pepper and a pinch of turmeric powder, mix well and cook cabbage until soft. Transfer to a serving platter and serve with tonkatsu.

TONKATSU SAUCE
adapted from a grouprecipes, I scaled it down so I won’t have any leftovers which I tend to forget to use again.

Ingredients
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons worchershire sauce
2 tablespoons cup sake (Japanese rice wine)
1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon mirin

Put all sauce ingredients in sauce pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat stirring occasionally. Reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes skimming any foam that rises to the top. Refrigerate extra sauce, if there’s any.

Enjoy God’s gift of LIFE; live and let live and be thankful everyday!

♥ Have a nice day!! God Bless!! :) ♥

Joy says:

August 2, 2011 at 7:26 pm

Good job on the katsu.

Suzy says:

July 29, 2011 at 4:37 am

I don’t eat a lot of meat but this looks an excellent way to cook pork. Thanks for the info – do you mind if I make it with pork tenderloin medallions?