Tonkatsu (Pork Cutlet) Basics         
Source: Noriko's Kitchen
Cooking time: 1 hour +
Servings: 4


This recipe also works very well with beef, chicken, oysters, and large
shrimps or prawns.

Japanese-style potato salad [recipe here at this site] goes very well with
this dish. Coleslaw would be nice, too. Also, Japanese or Chinese yellow
(hot) mustard can give some sensation to your taste buds.

Here are the ingredients and directions. You can prepare biifu-katsu (beef
cutlet) using the same directions.

Ingredients:

   * 4 slices pork sirloin, 1/2 - 3/4 lb. each (about 1 inch thick)
   * 1 egg, beaten
   * 2 cups bread crumbs
   * 1 cup flour
   * Peanut or canola oil for deep frying

   * 1 lemon (optional)
   * Hot yellow mustard

Tonkatsu sauce or subsititute

   * Use your favorite steak sauce and mix with ketchup to sweeten. You can
     also mix in lemon juice, to add a touch of sourness. A-1 or 76 steak
     sauce, or even Worcestershire sauce alone, goes well, too.

Garnish

   * Thin slices of cabbage or lettuce leaves.
     To prepare cabbage slices: Thin-slice 8 cabbage leaves and soak in cold
     water. Drain well and use them as a garnish for the tonkatsu.

Directions:

Tenderize the meat and flatten to about 1/2 inch thick. Season the pork with
salt and pepper. Coat the meat with flour and shake off the excess. Dip the
meat into the egg, then the bread crumbs on a platter. Chill the meat in the
freezer for 20 minutes or in the refrigerator for 2 hours. This chilling
process gives the tonkatsu a crispy crust. Deep-fry (350F) until each side
is light to medium golden brown. Drain the oil well and serve with the
garnish. Slices of tomato will add some color.

To tonkatsu-fry seafood or other types of meat, follow the same directions.
Of course, you have to peel the shells of shrimps. Oysters are our favorite
choice. In Japan a bowl of miso soup usually comes with this dish. Bon
Appetit!

- recipe courtesy of Hiroyuki Sato (71461.2100@compuserve.com)