Tonkatsu (Japanese Deep Fried Pork Cutlet)

Tonkatsu (14 Mar 2012)

It's pretty neat to learn how to make a simple tonkatsu. Tonkatsu basically means breaded deep fried pork cutlet. Tonkatsu can be served plain with white rice and some Japanese dipping sauce or mayonnaise. Tonkatsu is also the basis of some favourite Japanese rice bowl dishes like Katsudon and Katsu Curry. 

I know I'm suppose to use Panko (Japanese bread crumbs) but how could I resist not using my Philip airfryer to make some of my own & it only took me 10 minutes to fry & crumble 2 cups of breadcrumbs. The conventional recipe also called for deep frying, but I just couldn't resist popping one of my cutlets into the airfryer to compare the texture. Verdict: If you have really lean cutlets, do deep fry them in oil. You'd need a pork chop with rather fatty tissues to cook in an airfryer. Otherwise the pork wiill turn out pretty dry. Great for Katsudon, which is saucy but not good on its own!

Deep fried (Left) vs. Airfried (Right)

Oh, by the way, feel free to use deboned chicken thigh for the same recipe. Most of the restaurants in Malaysia are non-pork, so Chicken Katsu is pretty common here!

Tonkatsu Recipe (Serving 2)

Ingredients:
2 pcs of pork chop
Salt & pepper
Cornflour / plain flour
1 egg, beaten
1 cup of Panko (breadcrumbs)

Method:

1. First, pound the pork chops on both sides to tenderise meat
2. Lightly  sprinkle salt & pepper on both sides of meat, put aside for 1/2 hour
3. When ready to fry, lightly flour the pork chops. Then dip it into the egg. 
4. Press the pork chop firmly on each side into a plate of Panko. Shake of any excess before dipping into the oil
5. The frying oil should be kept at medium heat to allow the meat to cook. When almost golden brown, bring heat up to crisp up the skin. This will ensure that your tonkatsu will stay nice & crunchy for awhile
6. Cut into pieces and serve!