Tonkatsu (pork cutlet)
Ingredients:
4 slices pork sirloin, 1/2 - 3/4 lb. each (about 1 inch thick)
1 egg, beaten
2 cups bread crumbs
1 cup flour
Peanut or canola oil for deep frying
1 lemon (optional)
Hot yellow mustard
Tonkatsu sauce or subsititute
Use your favorite steak sauce and mix with ketchup to sweeten. You can also mix in lemon juice, to add a touch of sourness. A-1 or 76 steak sauce, or even Worcestershire sauce alone, goes well, too.
Garnish
Thin slices of cabbage or lettuce leaves.
To prepare cabbage slices: Thin-slice 8 cabbage leaves and soak in cold water. Drain well and use them as a garnish for the tonkatsu.
Cooking time: 1 hour +
Servings: 4
Preparation
Directions
Tenderize the meat and flatten to about 1/2 inch thick. Season the pork with salt and pepper. Coat the meat with flour and shake off the excess. Dip the meat into the egg, then the bread crumbs on a platter. Chill the meat in the freezer for 20 minutes or in the refrigerator for 2 hours. This chilling process gives the tonkatsu a crispy crust. Deep-fry (350F) until each side is light to medium golden brown. Drain the oil well and serve with the garnish. Slices of tomato will add some color.
To tonkatsu-fry seafood or other types of meat, follow the same directions. Of course, you have to peel the shells of shrimps. Oysters are our favorite choice. In Japan a bowl of miso soup usually comes with this dish. Bon Appetit!
