Katsudon is a traditional Japanese dish that is popular with the younger generation of foodies given its simplicity, inexpensiveness, and depth of umami. The word “Katsudon” is derived from 2 words: Tonkatsu (which means pork cutlet) and Donburi (which means large bowl). Katsudon is typically a deep fried pork cutlet cooked in a sweet and savory soy-based sauce combined with a scrambled egg, and served over a bowl of steamed white rice. It’s very simple to make, but also extremely satisfying to consume.
This version adds another level of umami by including toasted shiitake mushrooms and a spicy Japanese mayonnaise that works extremely well with the dish.
Check out more recipes and photos by David Del Rosario on his Instagram.
Katsudon
45 mins 15 mins 1 Ingredients
- 150 grams pork chop
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- All Purpose Flour (for breading)
- Panko bread crumbs (for breading)
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 5 tbsp water
- 1/4 tsp Dashi powder
- 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp mirin
- 1 1/2 tbsp Sake
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 1/4 onion
- 2 eggs
- Spring onion, for garnish
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 5 pieces Shiitake mushrooms
Instructions
- 1 Prepare pork chop for frying. Make a few cuts across the top of the pork chop (where the fat is) to prevent it from curling up when fried later on.
- 2 Season pork chop with salt and pepper. Let sit in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- 3 In the meantime, cut 1/4 an onion into thin slices.
- 4 Cut spring onions at a diagonal for garnish.
- 5 Thinly slice Shiitake mushrooms. Pan fry in a dash of oil until toasty, then season with a bit of salt.
- 6 Once pork is ready to be removed from the refrigerator, dust both sides of the pork with all purpose flour.
- 7 Crack open an egg and whisk. Dip pork into the whisked egg.
- 8 Dip the pork in panko bread crumbs, making sure most of the pork is covered.
- 9 Pan fry the pork chop in vegetable oil heated to 170 C, until golden brown.
- 10 Let cool on a baking rack and drain excess oil.
- 11 Mix water, dashi powder, soy sauce, mirin, Sake, brown sugar, and onion slices in a small pan.
- 12 Simmer until onions begin to cook.
- 13 Cut pork into 1 inch wide slices, then add to the pan.
- 14 Crack another egg into a bowl, whisk, then pour over tonkatsu.
- 15 Cover the pan for 30 seconds, or until eggs start to set.
- 16 Transfer all contents of the pot over a bowl full of rice.
- 17 Garnish with spring onions, a dollop of spicy Japanese mayo (see below), pickled cucumbers (store bought), and the toasted shiitake mushrooms
- 18 For Spicy Japanese mayo: in a bowl, mix Japanese mayo, chilli oil, and sesame oil. Spoon over Tonkatsu. Drizzle sweet soy sauce over Japanese mayo.
