Katsudon for Victory!

Whenever I’m hungry, whipping up a delicious bowl of katsudon always fills the spot. It’s everything you could possibly want in a meal to get you through the day. Hot rice, a crunchy slice of pork, tasty sauce, all topped off with an egg. A hearty meal that won’t ever leave you wanting more.

Katsudon (カツ丼) is one of Japan’s more popular foods. Its name was derived from the Japanese words for pork cutlet (tonkatsu) and a rice bowl dish (donburi). Katsudon is a bowl of steamed rice topped with a tasty slice of deep fried pork cutlet, a special sauce, and an egg.

Several variations of katsudon come from different parts of Japan. There’s the specialty of Okayama, which is a demi-glace (a rich brown sauce common to French cuisine) and green peas, Niigata’s version is shōyu-dare katsudon which uses soy sauce, and Nagoya’s special version uses miso.

Katsudon is a favorite dish among Japanese students–they have made it a modern tradition to have it as a meal the night before taking an important exam. They believe they will have a better chance of getting a good score or passing because the word “katsu” is pronounced the same as the Japanese verb for being victorious or to win.

Here is a simple and easy recipe for katsudon that may just get you that coveted high grade.

Ingredients

Slices of boneless butterflied pork cutlet, about ½ in. thick (I usually use 1 slice per serving). Use a meat tenderizer to pound each slice.

Flour, cornstarch, or half of each (I like using cornstarch because the end result for fried food is usually crunchier).

Season the slices of pork cutlet with a little salt and pepper. Don’t over-season the cuts of meat because the soy sauce is already salty.

1 egg, beaten (once beaten, add 1 tablespoon of water).

Japanese bread crumbs (Panko)

I didn’t include precise measurements. Just ensure that all the meat slices  are coated well. Coat the slices of meat with flour or cornstarch, dip them in the beaten egg and water mixture, coat with panko, then deep fry. When the meat is golden brown, drain it on paper towels.

Sauce

1 cup water
6 T soy sauce
6T sugar
4 T mirin

Katsudon in the frying pan. | pittaya

Mix all of the sauce ingredients in a bowl. Pour in the mixture into a pan and turn on the heat to low. Slice the pork cutlet into 1-in. strips. Crack an egg and beat it. When the mixture in the pan comes to a boil, put in the pork strips and pour the beaten egg on top of it. Allow the egg to cook. When it’s done, pour it on top of steamed white rice in a bowl. Top it off with thin slices of spring onions. Ta dah, a steaming bowl of perfection. Enjoy!