Japanese
Crispy Panko Katsu with Japanese Golden Curry
This is classic Japanese comfort food: crunchy cutlets over rice with a thick curry sauce built from onions, carrot, potato, curry powder, and a little apple for sweetness. The curry is savory and spoon-coating, while the katsu stays crisp enough to cut through and dip as you go.
High ProteinHigh CarbMeal Prep FriendlyComfort Food
At a Glance
- Time
- 55 mins
- Serves
- 2
- Cost
- Medium
- Cuisine
- Japanese
- Dietary fit
- Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free
Instructions
- Cook the rice first with 1 1/4 cups water and keep it warm. While it cooks, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a saucepan over medium heat and cook the onion for 8 to 10 minutes until soft and golden at the edges. Add the carrot and potato and cook 2 minutes more.
- Melt the butter over medium-low heat in the same saucepan, stir in the flour, curry powder, and garam masala, and cook for 1 minute until it smells toasty. Slowly whisk in the stock, then add the tamari, Worcestershire sauce, honey, and grated apple.
- Simmer the curry for 15 to 20 minutes over medium-low heat until the vegetables are tender and the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon. Blend briefly with an immersion blender if you want a smoother restaurant-style texture, then taste and adjust with salt and pepper.
- Season the cutlets with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour, dip in beaten egg, and coat thoroughly in panko, pressing the crumbs on firmly so the crust sticks.
- Heat 1/2 inch of neutral oil in a skillet to 350F. Fry the cutlets for 3 to 4 minutes per side until deeply golden brown and crisp and the center reaches 145F for pork or 165F for chicken. Drain on a rack for 2 minutes, then slice into strips.
- Serve the rice in shallow bowls, spoon the curry sauce alongside, and lay the sliced katsu on top. Finish with pickled ginger.
Adaptations
Plan Ahead- Gluten-Free: Plan Ahead Possible, but it requires multiple substitutions or separate preparation; see the note below.
- Dairy-Free: Plan Ahead Possible, but it requires multiple substitutions or separate preparation; see the note below.
- Vegetarian: Not Vegetarian Not adaptable; this recipe is built around meat, poultry, or seafood.
How to adapt: Japanese curry roux and panko usually contain gluten; use GF panko and a rice-flour roux if you need a gluten-free version, and choose dairy-free butter if needed.