Katsudon recipe

Katsudon is a great classic of Japanese cuisine, combining indulgence and comfort. It's a bowl of hot rice topped with tonkatsu (a breaded, deep-fried pork chop), simmered briefly with melting onions, a lightly sweetened broth made with soy sauce, mirin and dashi, and a beaten egg added at the end to bind everything together. This emblematic dish seduces with the contrast between the crispness of the breading and the tenderness of the meat, enveloped in a tasty sauce. Simple, nourishing and generous, katsudon is a real Proust's madeleine for many Japanese.

Author

iRASSHAi

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cooking Time

20 minutes

Servings

2

Ingredients

• 2 pork chops (about 150 g each)
• Salt and pepper
• Flour
• 1 egg
• Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• Frying oil
• 1 onion
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons mirin
• 2 tablespoons dashi (or 2 tablespoons water + ½ teaspoon dashi powder)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 bowls of hot rice
• Chives or Japanese parsley (optional)

Directions

1. Flatten chops slightly with the back of a knife or mallet, then season with salt and pepper. Dredge chops in flour, beaten egg and panko.
2. Heat oil to 170-180°C and fry chops 4-5 minutes per side, until golden-crisp. Drain on paper towels.
3. Cut each tonkatsu into slices 1.5 to 2 cm wide.
4. Thinly slice the onion.
5. In a small frying pan, bring the mixture of dashi, soy sauce, mirin and sugar to the boil.
6. Add onions and simmer over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, until translucent.
7. Arrange the tonkatsu slices on top of the onions in the pan.
8. Gently pour a beaten egg over the mixture. Cover immediately and cook over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, depending on the desired consistency of the egg (runny or set).
9. Divide the hot rice between two bowls.
10. Gently slide the contents of the pan (tonkatsu, egg and onions) over the rice.
11. Garnish with finely chopped spring onion or mitsuba for a touch of freshness.