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–+ servings

Katsudon (Japanese Pork Cutlet Bowl)

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Soaking time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 25 minutes
Author Yuto Omura
Servings 2 portions

Ingredients 
 

For the Katsu

  • 2 boneless pork chop
  • 2 pinches salt and pepper
  • 4 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp cooking oil
  • 1 tbsp whole milk
  • 50 g panko breadcrumbs
  • cooking oil for frying

Katsudon

Instructions 

Make kombu dashi

  • Take a jug and submerge 5 g dried kelp (kombu) in 150 ml water. Soak for 30 mins to 1 hour or until the kombu has rehydrated.
    soaking kombu in water

Katsu

  • Preheat oil to 170 °C (338 °F).
  • Make incisions in the fatty parts of 2 boneless pork chop to prevent curling and sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper on each side.
    two pork chops on a wooden chopping board
  • Pound the pork chops to tenderize the meat, they should be about 2cm thick.
    Tenderizing meat for tonkatsu
  • In a wide container, add 1 egg, 1 tsp cooking oil and 1 tbsp whole milk. Whisk thoroughly.
    Whisking egg with milk and oil
  • Prepare two more plates or containers, one with 4 tbsp all-purpose flour and one with 50 g panko breadcrumbs.
    Coating stations for tonkatsu
  • Coat the pork with flour on both sides, brush off any excess.
    tonkatsu coating pork with flour
  • Next, dip them into the egg mixture.
    tonkatsu coating with egg
  • Finally, transfer the pork to the panko and coat all over. Press the surface lightly to secure the panko.
    tonkatsu coating pork with panko
  • Test the oil temperature with a crumb of panko, if it sizzles and floats then the oil is ready. Carefully place the coated pork into the oil and cook for about 4 minutes on each side (8 minutes total) or until golden brown. When the oil stops making a crackling sound, that usually means they're ready.
    frying tonkatsu
  • Place the katsu on a wire rack to let the excess oil drain off.
    Draining oil from tonkatsu
  • Cut into 2cm slices and set aside for later.
    Cutting Tokatsu into strips

Donburi

  • Cut 100 g onion into wedges.
    Cut onion wedges on wooden chopping board with knife
  • Once the kombu is rehydrated, place a saucepan on the stove and pour in the contents of the jug. Turn on the heat to a low setting and slowly bring to almost boiling (small bubbles will appear around the edge, but don't let it boil).
  • Remove the kombu, add 50 ml mirin, 1 tbsp light brown sugar, 1 tsp Chinese-style chicken bouillon powder and mix.
    making dashi broth for katsudon
  • Add the onion to the pan and turn up the heat to medium, cook until the onion is softened.
    simmering onion in dashi broth for katsudon
  • Add 2 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu) and stir to distribute it, then lay the katsu over the top.
    placing katsu into pan
  • Separate 3 eggs into two bowls and whisk the whites. 
    Separating eggs for oyakodon
  • Pour the egg whites around the pan (don't add the yolks yet).
    drizzling egg whites
  • Place a lid on the pan and allow the eggs to steam for about 1 minute.
    steaming egg with lid
  • Lightly whisk the egg yolks and then pour them around the pan. 
    adding egg yolk to katsudon
  • Place the lid back on and turn off the heat. Allow the egg to cook in the residual heat until it's cooked to your preferred firmness.
    cooking egg yolk in residual heat for katsudon
  • Dish up 2 portions cooked Japanese short-grain rice into serving bowls and place the katsu and egg mixture on top.
    dishing up katsu and egg on rice
  • Garnish with Japanese wild parsley (mitsuba) "mitsuba" (optional).
  • Enjoy!
    A piece of breaded pork tonkatsu held with chopsticks

Notes

  • If you decide to substitute the kombu dashi for instant dashi, reduce the water to 100ml.
  • You can use chicken katsu or beef katsu instead of pork for the katsu.
  • The egg should be a little runny in this dish but if you prefer it well cooked you can cook for a bit longer.