Tonkatsu

Tonkatsu (or breaded and fried pork) is a favourite in our house, as is the chicken version, which we just call "katsu". Here's the recipe for the tonkatsu and a sauce to go with it. I always shallow fry my katsu but you can deep fry them at around 350 degrees fahrenheit. If you want to use chicken instead of pork, follow the same recipe as below but use boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs.

Serves 2:
Tonkatsu:
2 pork loins or cutlets
1 cup of plain flour
1 egg, beaten until combined
100g Panko breadcrumbs, or any Japanese style flaky breadcrumbs
Half a cup of cooking oil

For the sauce:
1/4 cup dark soy sauce
1/4 cup regular soy sauce
1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup tomato ketchup
Method: Add all of the above ingredients to a bowl, whisk together until the texture thickens slightly. Taste and adjust with ingredients above until it is to your liking

Tonkatsu cooking method:
1. Remove any excess hard fat and rind from the pork loin or cutlet. Cut along the remaining fat on the outside and inside of the pork to ensure it isn't chewy when cooked.
2. Place the pork between two pieces of cling film and bash with a rolling pin until around 2 cms thick.
3. Put the flour on a plate and dredge the pork in the flour, ensuring they are evenly coated. Shake off any excess flour and dip the pork into the beaten egg. Leave for a few seconds to soak and then remove any excess. Finally, dredge the pork into the breadcrumbs. Use your fingers to really get the breadcrumbs onto the pork - they really need to stick. Leave to stand for a few minutes.
4. While the pork is resting, heat the oil in a frying pan on a medium to high heat. You can check the temperate of the oil by dropping in a few leftover breadcrumbs. If they sizzle, it's time to add the pork.
5. Cook the pork for a few minutes on either side until golden brown. If they start to colour too much, turn down the heat. Once fully cooked, remove from the pan and leave to rest of a wire rack. If you're in doubt as to whether they're fully cooked or not, cut the tonkatsu at the thickest part of the meat to check.
6. Once the tonkatsu has been drained of any excess oil, place on a plate and cut into approx. one inch thick strips. It's ready to munch!

I serve mine with steamed jasmine rice and the sauce as desribed above. Here's the finished article!