Katsudon
カツ丼: crisp pork cutlet simmered with egg and onion over rice
Japanese students often eat a bowl of katsudon the night before a big exam, because 'katsu' sounds the same as the verb 'to win'. Soba restaurants, set-meal shops and train-station stands all over Japan serve it, and it is a favourite takeaway lunch too. A panko-crusted pork loin cutlet is fried until golden, sliced, then simmered for a minute with onion and egg in sweet soy dashi. The top of the crust stays crunchy while the underside soaks up the sauce. Chef's tip: snip the fat along the edge of each cutlet in three or four places before breading, so the meat stays flat in the oil and cooks evenly.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
For the pork cutlets
For the simmering sauce
To serve
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Snip through the fat along the edge of each piece of 2 boneless pork loin steaks in 3–4 places. Season both sides with ¼ tsp salt and 1 pinch black pepper.
Step 2: Dust the pork in 2 tbsp plain flour, dip in 1 egg and press firmly into 1 ¾ oz panko breadcrumbs so it is evenly coated. Leave on a plate for 5 minutes so the crumb sticks.
5 minStep 3: Heat 2 cups vegetable oil, for frying in a deep pan to 350°F. A crumb dropped in should sizzle steadily and rise straight away. Common mistake: frying before the oil is hot enough. The crumb soaks up oil and turns pale and greasy instead of crisp.
8 minStep 4: Fry the cutlets one or two at a time for 5–6 minutes, turning once, until deep golden and the centre reaches 145°F/145 °F. Drain on a rack and rest for 3 minutes, then cut each into 2 cm strips.
9 minStep 5: Put ¾ cup dashi stock, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp mirin and 2 tsp sugar in a small frying pan and bring to a simmer over a medium heat. Mirin contains alcohol; for an alcohol-free sauce, leave it out and add 2 tsp sugar and 1 tbsp water instead. Add ½ onion and simmer for 3 minutes until soft.
4 minStep 6: Lay one sliced cutlet on the onions. Lightly beat 3 eggs and pour half over and around the pork. Cover and cook for 1 minute, until the egg is set at the edges but still soft on top. For anyone pregnant, very young, elderly or with a weakened immune system, cook for 2–3 minutes until fully set.
2 minStep 7: Slide it over a bowl of 7 oz hot cooked Japanese short-grain rice, keeping the cutlet in one piece. Repeat with the second cutlet, the rest of the sauce, egg and 7 oz hot cooked Japanese short-grain rice. Top with 1 spring onion or mitsuba and serve with 2 tbsp Japanese pickles.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 950 kcal
- Protein
- 50 g
- Carbs
- 100 g
- Fat
- 36 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does katsudon take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of egg?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
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