Pork Katsu With Pickled Cucumbers and Shiso

By Melissa Clark

Published October 4, 2011

  • Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
45 minutes
Rating
5(915)
Comments
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Thanks to a coating of fluffy, brittle panko instead of regular bread crumbs, tonkatsu (or pork katsu) is crunchier than most pork schnitzel, and the accompanying sauce gives it a jolt of tangy flavor. Pork katsu is easy to make at home, especially if you borrow some techniques from its schnitzel sibling.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • ½ pound small Kirby cucumbers, sliced into ¼-inch-thick rounds

  • 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt, more for seasoning

  • 1 ¼ teaspoons sugar

  • 8 thin slices boneless pork medallions or center-cut pork chops (about 1 ½ pounds)

  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten

  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste

  • 2 cups panko crumbs

  • ½ cup flour

  • Black pepper

  • Peanut or vegetable oil, for frying

  • 2 tablespoons sliced scallions

  • 2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon minced shiso or basil

  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce

  • 1 teaspoon toasted Asian sesame oil

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

40 grams carbs; 171 milligrams cholesterol; 468 calories; 4 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 16 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 740 milligrams sodium; 39 grams protein; 5 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place the cucumbers in a colander set over a bowl. Toss them with 1 teaspoon salt and ¾ teaspoon sugar.

  2. Step 2

    Place each piece of pork between sheets of waxed paper. Pound meat to ⅛-inch thickness.

  3. Step 3

    Place eggs in a large shallow bowl; whisk in the Worcestershire and tomato paste. Place the panko and flour in two separate shallow bowls.

  4. Step 4

    Season cutlets with salt and pepper. Dip each cutlet in the flour (tap off excess), the egg mixture (ditto), then dredge in panko crumbs.

  5. Step 5

    Heat a large pan, pour in ⅛ inch of oil and heat for 30 seconds. Working in batches, put cutlets in the pan. Immediately shake and tilt it so the oil rolls over the pork in waves (this will give it a lighter, crisper crust). Shake the pan occasionally, until cutlets are golden on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Flip them and shake again. Cook 2 to 3 minutes longer. Transfer pork to a paper-towel-lined platter to drain.

  6. Step 6

    Pat the cucumbers dry with paper towels. Toss with scallions, vinegar, shiso, soy sauce, sesame oil and ½ teaspoon sugar. Serve cutlets with pickled cucumbers on the side.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
915 user ratings
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Comments

Lily

Make the pickled cucumbers first and let them steep. Your cutlets will get cold if you do this as the last step.

Nette

@Sandy: for sauce, read this comprehensive article called "The Great Tonkatsu Sauce Shootout." http://tastyislandhawaii.com/2009/12/07/the-great-tonkatsu-sauce-shootout/ It compares bottled sauces and also gives a good recipe for homemade sauce. Additionally, it compares cuts of meat, styles of panko, and sources of fat.

Ohiofem

My family loves this with a squeeze of lemon juice. It's traditionally served with tonkatsu sauce and shredded cabbage. if you can't find tonkatsu sauce, a mixture of ketchup, Worcester sauce, mirin, soy sauce and sriracha.

Allie

Despite aggressive seasoning, the pork still tasted bland to us. I wished we would have cut our pieces smaller after pounding them. We started with 1/3 lb slices of pork loin. The accompanying cucumber salad is delicious though!

Margaret O

Perfectly good in the airfryer also.

Teresa

I have a Japanese cookbook that has you dredge in the flour and egg twice, it makes them so crispy and juicy!

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