One of things I can always count on when making a meal Sean will like is to look to an Asian-inspired meal. He has a fondness for Japanese, Chinese and Korean cooking and doesn’t even seem to mind when I make the dishes a little spicier, even though he will turn his nose up at spicy chili or Buffalo wings (go figure). I had some pork cutlets in fridge and was trying to come up with something different to make with them other than the typical breaded cutlets when I thought about Tonkatsu. I had seen recipes for it before but never really thought to try it myself until I realized just how easy it was going to be. This recipe from Food and Wine is very straightforward and easy to make so you can get the crispy meal your family will love.

Pork Tonkatsu

Four 6- to 7-ounce boneless pork loin chops, pounded 1/2 inch thick

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

3 cups panko bread crumbs

Kosher salt

Pepper

Canola oil, for frying

3 tablespoons Japanese mustard powder  or Colman’s mustard powder

Japanese Cabbage Salad (recipe to follow)

For the Tonkatsu Sauce:

1 Tbsp. ketchup

2½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1½ tsp. oyster sauce

1⅛ tsp. sugar

Using a pair of kitchen shears, score the fat at the edges of the pork chops at 1-inch intervals, about 1/4 inch deep (this will keep them from curling while they cook).

Put the flour, eggs and panko bread crumbs in 3 separate shallow bowls. Season the flour with 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Season the pork cutlets with salt and pepper and coat them with flour, tapping off the excess. Dip the cutlets in the beaten eggs and then in the panko, pressing to help the panko adhere.

In a large skillet, heat 1 inch of oil to 360 degrees. Fry 2 pork cutlets over moderate heat, turning once, until they are golden brown and white throughout, about 4 minutes. Drain the chops on paper towels. Transfer the pork chops to a cutting board and season them with salt. Repeat the process  with the remaining cutlets.

In a small bowl, whisk the mustard powder with 3 tablespoons of water until the mixture is smooth.

To make the sauce, combine the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce and sugar together in a small and whisk until blended.

Slice the tonkatsu into 3/4-inch strips and transfer it to plates. Serve the  with the cabbage, Japanese mustard, tonkatsu sauce and lemon wedges.

Not only is the recipe very easy and turns out great, crispy pork, but you could easily substitute chicken or beef for the pork if you wanted to or even shrimp or your favorite fish. The breading is nice and crispy and it goes really well with the mustard and the Tonkatsu sauce. The Japanese cabbage salad is also very easy to make and there are several different recipes out there that you can try. I used this one from Martha Stewart.

Japanese Cabbage Salad

1 tablespoon white or yellow miso paste

2 tablespoons soy sauce

Juice and zest of 1 lime

2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar (seasoned)

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1/4 cup safflower oil

6 cups thinly shredded green cabbage

Garnish: toasted sesame seeds

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the miso paste, soy sauce, lime zest and  lime juice, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, and safflower oil.

Toss the cabbage with the dressing and serve it garnished with sesame seeds, if desired.

I didn’t have safflower oil on hand so I just used vegetable oil and it turned out just fine to my tastes. It was a very simple salad that tasted great with the dressing, which was a nice mix of the sesame oil, lime and vinegar. I think it goes perfectly with the tonkatsu and would work well with any other meal that needs a light salad.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!