← Nouns Cooking · Japanese

Ingredients

• 2 boneless pork loin chops (about 180 g each, 1.5–2 cm thick)
• ½ tsp Salt
• ¼ tsp Black pepper
• 2 tbsp Plain (all-purpose) flour
• 1 Eggs, beaten
• 50 g Panko breadcrumbs
• 750 ml neutral oil, for deep-frying
• ¼ green cabbage, very finely shredded
• 4 tbsp Tonkatsu sauce
• ½ Lemon, cut into wedges (optional)
• hot mustard, to serve (optional)

Method

1. Shred the cabbage as finely as you can and keep it in iced water while you cook, so it turns extra crisp. Drain well before serving.
2. Trim the excess fat and make a few short cuts through the line of connective tissue between fat and meat so the chops stay flat. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
3. Set up three plates: flour, beaten egg and panko. Coat each chop in flour and tap off the excess, dip it in egg, then press it firmly into the panko on both sides.
4. Heat the oil in a deep, heavy pan to 170°C (340°F). Lower in the cutlets and fry for 5–6 min, turning once or twice, until golden. For the last minute, raise the heat so the oil reaches about 180°C (355°F) and the crust turns deep golden.
5. Drain on a rack for 3 min, which lets the meat finish cooking and keeps the bottom crisp. The centre should reach 63°C (145°F).
6. Slice into strips and serve with the cabbage, tonkatsu sauce, lemon, mustard and rice.

Tips

• No tonkatsu sauce? Mix 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 tbsp ketchup and 1 tsp sugar.
• Never leave hot oil unattended, and use a thermometer: too cool and the crust gets greasy, too hot and it burns before the pork cooks.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Just One Cookbook RecipeTin Japan