These deliciously fried cutlets (tonkatsu) make a satisfying lunch served with a bowl of rice, a dollop of hot prepared mustard, some thinly sliced cabbage and a splash of tonkatsu sauce. Bottled tonkatsu sauce is widely available in well-stocked supermarkets. Alternatively, make your own using 1 part Worcestershire or steak sauce and 5 parts tomato ketchup.
Ingredients
- 4 cups (600 g) cooked rice
- 4 sprigs mitsuba or parsley
- Prepared Japanese mustard paste Tonkatsu sauce, to serve
Pork Cutlets
- 1 lb (500 g) pork loin Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- ½ cup (30 g) bread crumbs
- Oil, for deep-frying
Sauce
- 3 medium onions, thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons oil
- 1 cup (250 ml) Basic Dashi Stock
- 4 tablespoons mirin
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce 4 teaspoons sugar
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten (optional)
How to Make It
- First cut the pork loin into four steaks. Make small incisions along the fatty edges to prevent the steaks from curling during frying. Season the meat lightly with salt and pepper, dust with cornstarch on both sides, dip in the beaten egg and then press into the bread crumbs. Heat the oil in a wok or saucepan until moderately hot. Deep-fry the crumb-coated cutlets until light golden brown and cooked, for about 3-4 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels. Set aside.
- To prepare the Sauce, heat the oil in a skillet and fry the onions for 2 minutes. Remove the onions and set aside. Add the dashi stock, mirin, soy sauce and sugar in a pan. Stir and simmer on high heat for 5 minutes. Add the onions, stir and remove the skillet from the heat. Add the beaten eggs, if using and stir gently. Set aside.
- Scoop the rice into four large bowls and pour the Sauce and onions over it. Place a cutlet into each bowl, garnish with the mitsuba or parsley. Serve hot.