How To Make Japanese Tonkatsu Curry
Feb 25th, 2009 by admin
A little preamble as to why I chose to make this popular Japanese dish. I made tonkatsu (without the curry) three years in a row for the LSE Japan Society annual party when I was a student. It was a real hit, even though I and the flat stank of grease for days after. I’ve only ever made it in 16 kilogram batches, so many many years on, I decided to try and make it for one.
I didn’t quite succeed, as I made enough for three, so I have to practise a little more at reducing the quantities. I’ve been making and eating Japanese curry for many years, so I made this as well, because tonkatsu is often served with it. You can have one without the other, so I’ve written recipes for both.
If you want to make both Japanese curry and tonkatsu, then make the curry first as it takes about 30 minutes. And at the same time boil some Japanese shortgrain rice in a saucepan or rice cooker. At some point, finely shred some white cabbage to serve raw with the tonkatsu. And start preparing the tonkatsu so that everything is ready to be served at the same time.
Japanese curry ingredients: (serves 2 to 3)
- 5 medium-sized potatoes
- 2 carrots
- 1 onion
- 6 or 7 normal-sized mushrooms
- 2 tbsp raisins
- vegetable oil
- Japanese curry sauce (you can buy this in Japanese supermarkets in block form. There are various brands including S&B and House and they range from mild, medium, medium-hot and hot. Medium hot tastes of barely anything and isn’t remotely the same as a medium hot Indian curry!)
- Japanese pickled vegetables (optional but nice as an accompaniment)
What to do next:
Peel and chop onion. Peel and chop carrots and potatoes into chunks (not too small, otherwise they will disintegrate in the cooking process).
Because I made the curry to accompany the tonkatsu, I didn’t add any meat, but if you’re making it separately, you can add chicken, pork or beef. Cut your choice of meat into pieces the same size as the vegetables.
Over the years, I’ve experimented with additional ingredients such as apple and banana. In recent years, I’ve been adding mushrooms and a small handful of raisins, both of which make the curry even more delicious.
Heat some vegetable oil in a large saucepan, then fry onion, carrots and potatoes until lightly browned. If you are using mushrooms and raisins, add them now (if you’re using meat, throw it in at this stage too). Add about 2 inches of water (you can always add more later) and bring to the boil.
Turn heat down to low and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes with the lid almost covering the saucepan. Stir occasionally to make sure nothing sticks to the base, and add water if necessary, a little at a time.
I used 2 small blocks of curry sauce (my packet came with 10 servings, one block per serving). The curry sauce isn’t particularly healthy, I don’t think, looking at the list of ingredients, but once in a while, I don’t mind eating something like this.
Continue to cook over low heat for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens. It’s ready to eat! Japanese curry also tastes great the next day. Just reheat in a saucepan and add a little water so that the sauce doesn’t stick or burn.
Tonkatsu ingredients: (serves 3)
- 350-400g pork tenderloin (I bought mine from Paganum online butchers)
- panko breadcrumbs
- 1 egg, beaten
- salt and pepper
- vegetable oil
- white cabbage, finely shredded – to serve
- Bulldog tonkatsu sauce – to serve
What to do next:
Beat an egg, adding a little salt and pepper to it. Lay out some panko breadcrumbs on a plate. It’s going to be wasteful, but you’ll need more on the plate than you’ll actually use. Cut pork tenderloin into approximately 7 inch long pieces. If your meat is very thick, I would suggest cutting it in half lengthways, otherwise it won’t cook in the middle.
Blot meat with kitchen paper, then dip into egg and coat liberally. Roll both sides in breadcrumbs, making sure you cover the entire surface of the meat.
Heat oil in frying pan. I used just enough to lightly coat the base of the pan, as I didn’t deep-fry the meat. I don’t like to use so much oil and I also don’t like how sometimes tonkatsu is over-fried and tastes too oily, while the meat is overcooked and dry (NB however since making this, I’ve discovered that it’s actually less fattening to deep-fry than shallow fry, as with the latter, more oil is actually absorbed into the food than with the former method, which effectively seals it. So try both methods and see what you think).
My way takes longer, as I turned the heat down to low so that the meat would cook through slowly without the breadcrumbs burning. Don’t keep touching the cutlets as the breadcrumbs will fall off. The frying process took about 15 minutes, I would estimate. The breadcrumbs should be a lovely golden brown, with no burnt bits.
Remove from pan and rest on a plate lined with kitchen paper for a few minutes before cutting into thick slices. The meat should be cooked through but still tender and succulent. Lay in a little row on your plate, drizzle with Bulldog sauce, and serve with curry, rice, shredded cabbage and pickles. Eat while hot!
I hope you’ll enjoy making this at home! It is a long recipe, but it’s not complicated. Making this has certainly brought back many fond memories of student days for me!
See more Japanese recipes on World Foodie Guide
You’re making me dribble, I love the stuff. I need to find a convenient place to buy the panko: any good ideas?
I’m a sucker for Japanese curry – I love the pickles that go with it. And when I want something fried but don’t want to fry it myself, sometimes I go to the fried chicken shop…
I don’t think I’ve had Japanese curry recently, the sushi and sashimi always get me first. This looks pretty simple, although I can’t imagine it with banana!
I love japanese curry. I use to eat it a lot when I was an exchange student in japan. Its mild and slightly sweet, not hot like other curries. Wow, your pictures make me nostalgic. Yum.
Lovely looking tonkatsu and curry! I usually like to brine my pork pieces first to make them extra juicy then dribble some ginger juice on the pork (grate some fresh ginger and squeeze out the juice) before covering with flour/egg/panko.
Have you found the reddish japanese pickled onions they usually serve with kare katsu here in London?
I have to say, I’ve never eaten a Japanese curry – at least I don’t think so anyway! I’ve read quite about them though and the different mixes that are available. I am very curious. And, I would always go for the pickles – with everything!!
This looks amazing Helen – I have not seen honey panko before. Simon – you can buy Panko at Asian supermarkets or try google Japanese Kitchen it is an online Japanese supermarket.
Simon – I don’t know where you’re based, but the Japan Centre at Piccadilly is online, so you can definitely order from them. I got my panko from Arigato on Brewer St, which is where I do my Japanese food shopping.
Su-Lin – I couldn’t find the red pickles that I’ve always had with curry, and didn’t want the yellow ones. So I went without!
Lizzie – you’d be surprised. A lot of fruit goes nicely with curries, especially Japanese. But I like apple and raisins more.
Agirlhastoeat – you must have had your share of Japanese curry in Japan. My Japanese boyfriend at the time got me into curry…nostalgia trip…
Ken – thank you for the tips! I’m going to try that next time – still have lots of pork tenderloin in the freezer. If you’re referring to the red pickles I couldn’t find, NO! I should have gone to the Japan Centre, as they have a much larger selection than Arigato.
Helen – you must try it, at least once! I’ll take you somewhere next time. But it’s really easy to make at home too.
Gourmet Chick – thank you! To be honest, I didn’t know I’d bought honey panko until I was going through my photos. I don’t think there was any difference in taste to be honest!
Helen Yuet Ling
Japanese curry seems to be gaining in popularity. A new Japanese curry restaurant opned around the corner from us, called Volcano, and I’ve seen other restaurants in different parts of SF popping up. I’ve loved it ever since I first encountered it in Japan and am happy its finally getting some recognition.
OysterCulture – Japanese curry is excellent food! You can add whatever extra ingredients you like to it as well. Glad to hear you’re a fan too!
Helen Yuet Ling
Hello Helen, thanks for this one, I followed the recipe (something I very rarely do) and enjoyed the outcome (I did katsu rather than katsu curry). In particular I was pleased with the shallow fry method, I can’t believe that I used to deep fry with such gay abandon in years gone by, my poor arteries forgive me! Of course, that said, the Japanese have a way with deep frying, some of the tempura can be ethereally light as I’m sure you know but I doubt that I could reproduce that kind of deftness or finesse in my own kitchen! I didn’t have any tonkatsu sauce (there are enough condiments already in my kitchen!) so I made do with Kewpie mayonnaise and a gloopy dark soy/honey dipping sauce which I put together. And on the side I had home-made som tam – delicious, crunchy and so easy to make, it proved a worthy accompaniment.
A farmer from Devon has started doing weekly deliveries to my block of flats in NW London – based upon what I’ve sampled so far (pork tenderloin and wild boar prosciutto), the quality is high and prices reasonable, you might want to check them out:
http://www.tortodoor.co.uk/
Btw, I have some more Japanese recs (and a Brazilian one) if you’re interested in hearing them…..
Oonth – how have you been?! Thanks for giving this a try! I was very pleased with the shallow fry method myself (I tried it recently with fried prawn gyoza and it worked perfectly). I’ve yet to try tempura, even after watching my Japanese stepmother-in-law do it. I think I’m just physically scared of deep frying.
Thanks a lot for the link as well, I’ll give them a try. And yes please to the recs! Whenever you have time…
Helen Yuet Ling
Helen, I’ve been fine – there’s been lots of traveling, eating, eating, traveling, traveling and eating, I think that you call it traveleating
My recs are:
Atari Ya Sushi Cafe in Hendon Central, the latest offering from the Atari Ya/T&S Enterprise group – high quality sushi for very reasonable prices plus some cooked/non sushi items (iberico pork, chawanmushi etc) which I am yet to try. Fantastic seafood salad for a bargain £6.
http://www.atariya.co.uk/shops/hendon.html
Suzu, 53 Charlotte Street, cafe style serving home made curry, made to order sushi, bento boxes. Set up by Makiko, the Japanese lady who used to run the excellent sushi counter @ Selfridge’s (now subsumed under the woeful Yo Sushi )
Amber Grill, a rodizio in Willesden Junction which has become something of a Little Brazil within London. Haven’t been yet but I have heard good things and it sounds like the real deal and they are currently running some very attractive 40% and 20% off offers. If you get there before I do, please report back.
http://www.ambergrill.co.uk/
Enjoy!!
Oonth – you have indeed been traveleating! Lovely places, no doubt. You always eat well!
Thank you very much for the recs! I haven’t even been to Atari-ya on James Street yet. Suzu on Charlotte Street in particular is so close to my office! And I’d love to try a new rodizio. I’m going to add them all to the top of my super long restaurant wishlist…
Happy traveleating!
Helen Yuet Ling
I love japanese too they so delightful to eat i can even find the curry and shopping area and makets.
Helen – thanks for this recipe.
I made it the other night and it was delicious. Took your advice re the shallow & slow frying and the pork was really lovely and tender as a result.
Thanks so much – love your blog
Alexis
Jeremy – yes, it’s all quite simple to find and make at home…
Alexis – great news! Thanks for the feedback. I’m going to be brave and try deep frying next time to compare the difference in taste!
Helen Yuet Ling
Lovely idea! I love Japanese curry. Sometimes, I go for it for a change for my usual hot and spicy curries
Is there any recipe how to make the curry paste instead of buying ready made?Thank you for sharing.
pixen – hello! I’ve just looked in my Japanese cookery books for you, but couldn’t find one. Sorry! I’m off to Japan in three weeks, so I’ll ask my Japanese friends for you and let you know if they know of one.
Helen Yuet Ling