Tonkatsu
Probably one of my favorite dishes to eat and make because it is so versatile. I mean it is crispy fried pork cutlet?! If I am making a tonkatsu dinner, I usually make katsu sauce, Japanese potato salad, fluffy cabbage with miso mayo, quick pickles and bowl of rice. But if you wanna go crazy, you could make a tonkatsu sandwich, possibilities are endless... If you do not eat pork, you can substitute chicken for the pork.
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless pork loin, cut into 4 slices of even thickness
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper
- 3 eggs
-
2 teaspoons Hanamaruki Liquid Shio Koji
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 cup flour
- 3 to 4 cups panko
- Neutral oil, for frying
Directions
- Use a meat mallet to gently pound each of the 4 pork fillets. Be careful not to pound too hard; you just want to tenderize and gently make the pork thinner. Season on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Whisk the eggs with the liquid shio koji and milk in a large bowl. Spread the flour on one large plate and the panko on another. Dredge one pork cutlet in flour on all sides, shaking off any excess. Next, dunk the pork into the eggs, shake off excess egg. Lastly, dredge in panko, pressing lightly to help the crumbs adhere. Repeat to coat all 4 cutlets. If you have time, refrigerate for 15-20 minutes, this will help the breading to stick better, but not necessary.
- Heat 1 inch of oil to 350℉ in a high-sided skillet (or other pan suited to shallow-frying). Carefully lay the pork fillets in the pan. Depending on your skillet size, you may have to cook in batches. Once the tonkatsu starts to brown on the bottom, gently turn it over. You might have to do this a couple of times to achieve an even, golden brown crust.
- Once your pork is golden brown, remove from the oil and place on a rack or a plate with paper towels to help remove excess oil. Season with salt immediately so the salt with stick. Let rest one minute then cut in half to make sure it is cooked through. If for some reason it is not, place in 400 degree oven to finish cooking. Enjoy!