Katsudon recipe

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Portion

Preparation time

15 minutes

Cooking time

20 minutes

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

Ingredients

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Instructions

Preparing tonkatsu

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.
Heat oil to 170-180°C and fry chops 4-5 minutes per side, until golden-crisp. Drain on paper towels.
Cut each tonkatsu into slices 1.5 to 2 cm wide.

Preparing the garnish

Thinly slice the onion.
In a small frying pan, bring the mixture of dashi, soy sauce, mirin and sugar to the boil.
Add onions and simmer over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, until translucent.

Final cooking

Arrange the tonkatsu slices on top of the onions in the pan.
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).

Dressage

Divide the hot rice between two bowls.
Gently slide the contents of the pan (tonkatsu, egg and onions) over the rice.
Garnish with finely chopped spring onion or mitsuba for a touch of freshness.

Recipe notes

For an ultra-crisp tonkatsu, some chefs dip it twice in egg and panko.
Let the breaded chops stand for 5-10 minutes before frying to improve the adherence of the breading.
For a lighter tonkatsu, use pork tenderloin or even chicken.

Katsudon: a dish full of meaning

Katsudon is a contraction of "katsu" (breaded cutlet) and "donburi" (rice bowl). It is thought to have appeared in the 1920s.
Popular legend has it that the dish was first served to students before their exams, as the word "katsu" (勝つ) also means "to win" in Japanese.
Since then, katsudon has become a culinary good luck charm, eaten before important events (exams, competitions, interviews...).
It's also a dish frequently depicted in dramas, manga and anime, often associated with home, nostalgia and family comfort.

Why is it so popular?

Tonkatsu and katsudon combine qualities that are highly appreciated in Japan: crunchy texture, umami taste, nourishing appearance and accessibility.
Easy to adapt, there are regional and creative variations: katsudon with demi-glace sauce, spicy katsudon, or even with shrimp or tofu for vegetarian versions.
In some Japanese police stations, katsudon was (rightly or wrongly) offered to suspects during interrogation to relax them... an image widely used in Japanese crime fiction!
Katsukarē, another famous derivative, combines tonkatsu and Japanese curry over rice: an even heartier combination popular in canteens and fast-food restaurants.

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