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Tonkatsu (Japanese Fried Pork Cutlets) 豚カツ
5 from 12 votes

Tonkatsu (Japanese Fried Pork Cutlets) 豚カツ

Tonkatsu is a Japanese dish featuring pork sirloin steaks that are pounded thin, breaded with panko crumbs, and deep-fried for a crisp coating. The cutlets are prepared by scoring the edges to prevent curling, then coated in a batter made from egg, water, mayonnaise, and flour before coating in panko. This produces a crunchy exterior with a juicy interior.

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
25 mins
Servings: 3
Calories: 646 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Japanese

Ingredients

  • 3 pork sirloin steak weigh about 400 g *1
  • 1 egg large
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 tbsp mayonnaise Japanese
  • 4 tbsp plain flour
  • 3 cups panko breadcrumbs 2
  • 50 g cooking oil 3, for deep frying
  • 200 g cabbage I used sugarloaf cabbage
  • 6 cherry tomato to serve
  • 3 shiso leaves optional to garnish

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Prepare the pork. Make small cuts at 2cm(0.78inch) intervals along the edge of the pork in order to avoid the pork curling up when its fried.
  2. Using a meat mullet, bash the meat to flatten to about 1cm(0.39 inch) thick.
  3. Season the pork with salt and pepper
  4. Prepare the batter. Combine egg, water and mayonnaise in a mixing bowl. 
  5. Add plain flour to the egg mixture bowl and mix them briefly with chopsticks. Be careful not to over mix it. 
  6. Prepare the batter bowl, a tray of panko crumbs, and another tray to place the coated pork. 
  7. Dip a piece of pork into the batter and coat well with batter. Remove excess batter and move it to the tray of panko crumbs.
  8. Coat the pork with panko crumbs on both sides well by pressing down to adhere and also make sure that all sides of the pork are covered. 
  9. Place the panko crumbed pork to the last tray and repeat the process for the rest of the pork. 
  10. Heat the deep frying oil in a deep frying pan or deep fryer (like I did) to 170 degree celsius(338F). At the same time line kitchen paper on a wire rack on a tray. 
  11. When the oil reaches the temperature, gently put one pork in. Cook one at a time. 
  12. Deep fry the pork for a few minutes without moving it around, when the edge becomes golden brown, flip it over gently and carefully with chopsticks and heat up to 190 degree celsius (374F) to cook for a further 2-3 minutes till golden brown. 
  13. Drain the deep fried pork on the kitchen paper-lined wire rack. Cook the rest of crumbed pork in the same way. 
  14. Slice the deep fried pork into 1.5cm(0.59 inch) strips and move all pieces in one go by placing the knife underneath the cut pork. *4
  15. Serve with finely shredded cabbage, shiso leaves and tomato. 
  16. Pour the tonkatsu sauce over the pork. 

Notes

  • The pork should be scored along the edges to prevent curling when fried.
  • If Japanese panko breadcrumbs are not available, make your own by pulsing white crusty bread and drying the crumbs until crisp.
  • While the recipe uses about 50g oil absorbed during frying, prepare around 500g or more to maintain frying temperature.
  • Tonkatsu is often cut into smaller pieces for easy eating with chopsticks.
  • To make Tonkatsu sauce, combine Worcestershire sauce, tomato ketchup, and mirin as a substitute for store-bought sauce.
  • Tonkatsu can also be served with miso sauce, called Miso Katsu.

Nutrition Information

Calories 646kcal (32%) Carbohydrates 56g (19%) Protein 42g (84%) Fat 27g (42%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Cholesterol 139mg (46%) Sodium 572mg (24%) Potassium 857mg (18%) Fiber 4g (16%) Sugar 6g (12%) Vitamin A 310IU (6%) Vitamin C 32.2mg (36%) Calcium 155mg (16%) Iron 5.2mg (29%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 3 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 646

% Daily Value*

Calories 646kcal 32%
Carbohydrates 56g 19%
Protein 42g 84%
Fat 27g 42%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 139mg 46%
Sodium 572mg 24%
Potassium 857mg 18%
Fiber 4g 16%
Sugar 6g 12%
Vitamin A 310IU 6%
Vitamin C 32.2mg 36%
Calcium 155mg 16%
Iron 5.2mg 29%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.