Tonkatsu

Click on photograph for full view of tonkatsu platter.

Tonkatsu, a Japanglish word that describes a western-style pork cutlet, is one of my all-time favorite foods. Ton is the Japanese word for pig and katsu loosely means cutlet. The Japanese call western-style Japanese dishes yohshoku. Before retirement I worked for a multinational company whose cafeteria had a section devoted to Japanese food, so I'm no stranger to yohshoku. Every tenth day tonkatsu would appear on the menu and I'd be at the head of the line to claim a portion before it wilted on the steam table. I don't make this often and because it's a rare treat I've made some changes to the recipe to guarantee that it will be moist and flavorful every single time it comes to my table. The secret is brining. The technique is not Japanese and while it lacks authenticity and adds time to preparation, it's worth the effort because it keeps the pork moist. Tonkatsu is traditionally served with plain, shredded cabbage and a commercial sauce. Plain cabbage is not appealing to all palates so I toss it with a light Asian dressing just before serving and, while I can buy tonkatsu sauce, I prefer to make my own. Panko may be trendy but it absolutely necessary for breading tonkatsu. Standard Italian-style bread crumbs just won't give the crunch that adds texture to this dish.

Tonkatsu

Ingredients:
Brine:
3 tablespoons kosher salt
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
3 cups water
4 boned pork chops or cutlets, tenderized with a jaccard and pounded to 1/2-inch thickness
Cabbage Slaw:
1 small head Napa cabbage
1-1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
Tonkatsu Sauce:
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons catsup
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs, lightly beaten with 1 teaspoon cold water
1 to 2 cups panko
Peanut oil for deep frying

Directions:
1) To make brine, combine salt, brown sugar, oil, vinegar, rosemary, pepper and water in a small bowl; whisk until sugar is dissolved. Pour brine into a 1-gallon resealable plastic bag. Add pork and refrigerate for 6 to 24 hours before cooking.
2) To make slaw, finely shred cabbage. Set aside. Combine sugar, salad oil, salt, pepper and vinegar in a small bowl. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
3) To make tonkatsu sauce, combine sugar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and catsup in a small bowl; whisk to combine. Set aside.
3) To prepare pork, remove from brine and pat dry. Preheat oil to 350 to 375 degrees F. Add salt and pepper to flour. Dust pork with flour, dip into beaten eggs, than into bread crumbs. Fry, two at a time, in at least 1-inch of oil, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until a deep golden brown. Drain on paper towelling.
4) To serve, toss cabbage with reserved dressing. Spoon a portion onto four individual plates. Top with a cutlet. Serve with tonkatsu sauce. Yield: 4 servings.

This entry is being sent to Wandering Chopsticks who is hosting the November Regional Recipes Round-Up Japan which is sponsored by Darlene at Blazing Hot Wok.