tonkatsu — Japan

Tonkatsu is a cutlet of pork that is breaded and deep-fried until golden, then sliced into strips before serving; the name combines ton, meaning pork, with katsu, a shortening of the English word cutlet by way of the French côtelette. It is reported across Japan, where it traces back to breaded veal cutlets brought from Europe in the nineteenth century and later adapted to pork and to panko crumbs. It is now served in dedicated tonkatsu restaurants as well as home kitchens, and gives its name to related dishes such as katsudon, where the cutlet sits over rice with egg and onion, and katsukarē, where it is served with curry. Among students there is also a custom of eating tonkatsu before an exam, playing on the pun with katsu, the verb meaning to win. To prepare it, a pork loin cutlet is pounded to an even thickness, seasoned with salt and pepper, then coated in flour, beaten egg and coarse panko breadcrumbs. It is deep-fried in oil until the crust turns a deep golden brown, rested briefly to let the crust settle, then sliced crosswise into strips. It is plated with finely shredded raw cabbage, a bowl of rice, a bowl of miso soup, a dab of karashi mustard, and a thick, tangy sauce poured over or served alongside for dipping. What changes between cooks is mainly the cut used, loin or the leaner fillet, the thickness of the cutlet, and how sweet or thick the sauce is kept. This version uses a loin cutlet of medium thickness and a sauce on the sweeter side of tangy.