Katsu Curry

Katsu Curry (Pork Cutlet with Japanese Curry over Rice)

Crispy panko-breaded pork cutlets (tonkatsu) sliced over steamed rice and smothered in a thick, mildly sweet Japanese curry sauce made from curry roux, onion, and carrot.

Prep

20 min

Cook

35 min

Total

55 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •640 ml (2¾ cups) short-grain Japanese rice (uncooked weight, see note), 160 g (about 1 cup US) per serving; rinsed until water runs clear
• •4 pieces boneless pork loin cutlets, about 120 g / 4 oz each, pounded to ~1 cm (⅜ in) thickness
• •1 tsp fine salt
• •0.5 tsp (½ tsp) freshly ground black pepper
• •30 g (¼ cup) all-purpose flour
• •1 large egg, beaten with 15 ml / 1 tbsp water
• •80 g (2½ cups) panko breadcrumbs, fine Japanese panko gives the best crunch; do not substitute regular breadcrumbs
• •500 ml (2 cups) neutral oil, for frying, vegetable, canola, or rice bran; need ~1 cm (⅜ in) depth in the pan
• •1 tbsp neutral oil, for the curry
• •1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• •1 large carrot, cut into bite-sized chunks or half-moons
• •1 L (4 cups) water
• •100 g (3.5 oz) Japanese curry roux (S&B Golden Curry or Vermont), mild or medium, one standard box; chopped into small pieces to melt quickly. Home substitute: 2 tbsp curry powder + 1 tbsp flour + 20 g (1 tbsp) butter, toasted together
• •1 tsp soy sauce
• •1 tsp honey or sugar, optional, to taste; Japanese curry leans sweet
• •1 pinch salt, to taste
• •finely shredded green cabbage, to serve, optional side, traditional accompaniment

Steps

1. 1 Cook the rice: rinse 160 g (1 cup) rice per serving until the water runs almost clear. Combine with the appropriate volume of water (1.1× rice weight) and cook by rice cooker or stovetop until tender, then keep covered and warm.
2. 2 Prep the cutlets: trim excess fat, pound to an even 1 cm (⅜ in) thickness, and season both sides with 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper. Pound only lightly; pounding too thin produces a dry cutlet.
3. 3 Set up a breading station in this order: flour on a plate, beaten egg with 15 ml water in a wide bowl, panko on a separate plate.
4. 4 Coat each cutlet in flour, shaking off excess, then dip fully in egg, then press firmly into panko so the crumbs adhere on both sides. Do not press so hard that the panko is crushed; let it stay airy.
5. 5 Heat the frying oil to 170 °C (340 °F) in a deep skillet — about 1 cm (⅜ in) deep. Without a thermometer, a 1 cm cube of white bread should turn golden in about 30 seconds.
6. 6 Fry the cutlets one or two at a time for 3–4 minutes per side, until deeply golden and the internal temperature reads 70 °C (158 °F) on an instant-read thermometer. If you don't have a thermometer, cut into the thickest part: no pink juices and the meat should be opaque throughout.
7. 7 Transfer cooked cutlets to a wire rack (not paper towels, which trap steam and soften the crust) and rest for 3 minutes before slicing.
8. 8 While the cutlets rest, start the curry: heat 1 tbsp oil in a saucepan over medium, add the chopped onion and cook 6–8 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the carrot and stir for 2 minutes.
9. 9 Pour in 1 L (4 cups) water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 6–8 minutes until the carrot is fork-tender.
10. 10 Turn the heat to low. Add the chopped curry roux a handful at a time, stirring until fully melted before adding more. This prevents lumps. Simmer 5 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
11. 11 Stir in 1 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp honey (if using), and a pinch of salt. Taste and adjust: add a splash more soy for depth or a pinch of sugar if it tastes harsh to you. The sauce should be thick enough that the vegetables are suspended, not swimming.
12. 12 Slice each rested tonkatsu across the grain into 2 cm (¾ in) strips — keeping it attached at one end is the classic presentation.
13. 13 Mound hot rice on each plate, lay the sliced cutlet beside or on top of the rice, and ladle the curry generously over and around (or serve the curry in a separate small bowl in the more traditional style).
14. 14 Serve immediately with a small pile of shredded cabbage on the side if desired, which is the customary accompaniment.