Katsudon (カツ丼, breaded pork cutlet over rice)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Fine-mesh strainer lined with a clean cloth
• •Wire rack set over a tray
• •Cooking thermometer
• •Oyakodon pan, or an 8-inch skillet with a lid
• •Deep ceramic donburi bowls

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the dashi

   Wipe the konbu with a damp cloth, but don't wash it. Put it in the cold water and bring it up slowly over low heat, about ten minutes. Pull the konbu when the water trembles and small bubbles climb the side of the pot. Add the katsuobushi all at once, take the pot off the heat, and leave it alone for two minutes. Strain through a cloth and let it drip on its own.

   Boil the konbu and the stock turns faintly bitter. Squeeze the bonito flakes and you press strong, oily flavors into the broth. The rule is simple because the thing you're protecting is simple: clarity.
2. 2

   Ready the pork

   Pat the pork dry. Make a few shallow cuts through the fat and membrane along the edge, then pound any thick spots until each chop is even. Salt both sides and let the pork stand for ten minutes, then pat it dry again. Those little cuts keep the cutlet from curling in the oil, so it browns evenly instead of arching like it has opinions.

3. 3

   Bread the cutlets

   Set out the flour, beaten egg, and panko in three shallow dishes. Dust each chop lightly with flour and shake off the excess, dip it in egg, then press it into the panko so the crumbs cling in an even coat. Rest the breaded pork on a rack for five to ten minutes. A thin flour layer helps the egg grip; too much turns pasty. The rest lets the coating settle so it doesn't shed the moment it meets the oil.

4. 4

   Fry the tonkatsu

   Heat the oil to 340 F to 350 F, or 170 C to 175 C. A panko crumb should bubble briskly without darkening at once. Fry the cutlets one at a time until deep golden, about three minutes on the first side and two minutes on the second, and the center reaches 145 F or 63 C. Rest on a rack for three minutes, then slice each cutlet crosswise into five or six strips, keeping the shape together.

   A rack keeps the underside crisp. Paper towels trap moisture. Keep the sliced cutlet in its original shape and only the lower edges meet the broth.
5. 5

   Season the broth

   Stir together the 3/4 cup dashi, shōyu, mirin, and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Taste it. It should be stronger than a soup, because the rice, pork, and egg will soften it. This broth seasons the whole bowl, so thin broth makes a thin katsudon.

6. 6

   Simmer the onion

   Work one serving at a time. Put half the seasoned broth and half the sliced onion in an oyakodon pan or a small skillet. Simmer for two to three minutes, until the onion loses its raw edge but still has shape. Cooking the onion first sweetens the broth and keeps the cutlet from sitting too long in liquid.

7. 7

   Set the egg

   Lay one sliced cutlet over the onion, still held in its cutlet shape. Pour half the loosely beaten finishing eggs around and across the top, leaving a few panko ridges exposed. Cover and cook for 45 to 60 seconds, until the egg is softly set and glossy, with no clear liquid running. Don't stir or flip. Movement breaks the crust and muddies the bowl. Repeat with the second cutlet.

8. 8

   Slide over rice

   Divide the hot rice between two deep donburi bowls. Slide each panful onto the rice in one motion, using a spatula if needed to keep the cutlet together. Finish with mitsuba and a light pinch of shichimi tōgarashi if you like. Serve at once, while the rice catches the broth and the cutlet still has crisp edges.

Chef Tips

• •Choose pork that smells clean and looks firm and pink, with a modest cap of white fat. Katsudon is generous food, but it is not a place to hide tired meat under seasoning. Nothing hidden.
• •Use Japanese panko if you can. Its open crumbs fry lighter than fine dry breadcrumbs, and that open texture is why a few ridges can stay crisp even after the egg goes on.
• •Cook one bowl at a time. It sounds fussy until you do it once, then you see the reason: the egg sets gently, the cutlet doesn't soak, and each bowl reaches the table in good order.
• •Mitsuba gives the proper green fragrance at the end. If you can't find it, use a few thin scallion greens or leave the bowl plain. A sensible stand-in is welcome, but don't ask garnish to do the work of dashi.

Advance Preparation

• •The dashi can be made up to two days ahead and kept refrigerated. Warm it gently before seasoning the broth.
• •The pork can be trimmed, salted, breaded, and held on a rack in the refrigerator for up to two hours. Fry it just before serving, or the crust loses its clean bite.
• •Do not assemble katsudon ahead. Keep the rice hot, fry the cutlet, set the egg, and slide it over the bowl at the last moment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 680g)