Pork tonkatsu

Ingredients

• 2 pork loin chops (at least 1 cm thick)
• salt
• black pepper
• flour (any kind)
• 1 egg
• vegetable oil (for frying)
• panko
• tonkatsu sauce (e.g., Bulldog)

Method

Notes on panko

• If you can find it, use nama panko (fresh panko) instead of dry.
• If you only have dry panko, lightly mist it with water and let it rest for 15 minutes.
• Choose panko with larger flakes for a better result.

Prepare the pork

1. Trim excess fat and make small cuts in the connective tissue between fat and meat. This helps the cutlet stay flat while frying.
2. Pound the meat with a tenderizer. If you don’t have one, use the back of a knife. Pound in a crosshatch pattern.
3. Shape it back into an even cutlet and season with salt and pepper.

Bread

1. Beat the egg in a bowl and add 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil per egg. Mixing oil into the egg helps the breading stick during frying.
2. Dredge the meat in flour and shake off excess.
3. Dip in the egg mixture.
4. Coat in panko. Press gently with your palms to make the coating more even.

Fry

1. Heat oil in a wok or deep pan to about 180 °C.
   • If you don’t have a thermometer, dip chopsticks into the oil: small bubbles around the tips mean it’s ready.
   • Another test: a pinch of panko should sink halfway down, then float back up.
2. Gently lower the cutlet into the oil (it should be fully submerged).
3. Keep the oil at 180 °C to avoid burning.
4. Fry about 1 minute per side. If the cutlet is thinner than 1 cm, fry 45 seconds per side.
5. Remove and drain oil by holding it vertically for a few seconds.
6. Rest on a rack for 4 minutes (or on paper towels).
   • The residual heat will finish cooking the meat, so don’t cut it to check.
7. Skim out panko crumbs.
8. Bring oil back to 180 °C and fry again for 1 minute total (30 seconds per side).
9. Tap with a chopstick: clear juices mean it’s cooked.
10. Drain again and rest 2 minutes.
    • If using paper towels, keep it vertical to avoid sogginess.
11. Slice by pressing the knife straight down (don’t saw) so the crust stays on.
12. Serve immediately with tonkatsu sauce and vegetables.