Pork Katsu (Tonkatsu) Curry

Thanks to Hanaichi, one of the fastest growing Japanese eateries in Queensland, Katsu Curry is now available all over Brisbane (in major shopping centres at least). They serve them cheap, fast, hot and very tasty. I figured, why bother making it at home?



But I was inspired after reading Cusinera's (of Busog! Sarap!) take on this popular Japanese take-away to try and cook it myself. It did not seem as fiddly as I thought it would be!





Trying to get the combination of spices spot on was to me very daunting so I never dared. But S&B's Golden Curry mix does away with all that (no, they did not pay me for this blog!).




Cooking this at home also give me more freedom on how it is served. In most Japanese restaurants the curry sauce is poured on top of the katsu. If you've been following this blog you know I prefer my sauces on the side. I decide when my rice gets mixed in with the sauce, not the restaurant (also keeps my katsu crispy!)





For the Curry Sauce:

100g S&B Golden Curry Sauce Mix (I used mild but there are "hotter" varieties)
2 1/2 cups water
1 large onion sliced
1 large carrot cut in large chunks
1 stalk celery cut in large chunks
2 desiree potatoes cut in large chunks
A bit of oil for sauteing

1. Heat up a bit of oil in a pot.
2. Saute the onion until soft and translucent.
3. Add all the vegetables and saute for another minute.
4. Add the water and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce the heat to simmering point. Simmer until all the vegetables are cooked.
6. Crumble the Japanese curry into the mixture. Stir until all dissolved. Cook for another 5 minutes.
7. Set aside

This is plenty for just one meal. You might want to halve the recipe if you don't like leftover sauce.


For the Pork Katsu (Tonkatsu)

2 pork chops sliced thinly lengthwise to make 4 thin chops
1 large egg beaten lightly
1 bowl of water
Plain flour with a bit of salt
Panko Japanese style breadcrumbs
Oil for frying

1. Heat up oil in a pan for frying.
2. Dip the pork chops in egg.
3. Coat each piece in flour and shake any excess.
4. Dip the coated pieces in cold water for a few seconds (I thought this was a crazy idea. It's a technique apparently used by fast food places to guarantee a crispy coating. It does work! I used the same technique in my Crispy Fried Chicken Recipe.)
5. Coat with the Panko bread crumbs.
6. Fry on each side until golden brown.
7. Chop into pieces and serve with the curry sauce on top or on the side.