Tonkatsu Curry

curry katsu

In Japanese, “ton” is pork and “katsu” is cutlet.  Tonkatsu Curry is one of my favorite Japanese dish. Japanese curry is sweeter than Indian or Thai curry and the texture is bit thicker. The curry goes really well with fried pork cutlets and hearty vegetables. You can find Japanese curry cubes at any Asian supermarket but the ingredients that you add to the mixture can really make this a hearty dish.  These cubes look like bigger versions of chicken bouillon. I prefer the Vermont Curry cubes, seems strange that it would be named Vermont right? Who knows why but I’ve tried a couple brands and Vermont Curry is definitely the best one. If you are allergic to peanuts or nuts, you can use Golden Curry instead. They both have similar consistencies in terms of texture but Vermont Curry seems slightly sweeter.

If you don’t have time, you can try making this dish without the pork chops. Add more chicken tenderloins in the curry mixture to make a simple chicken curry dish.

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I prefer the Hot flavor. It actually isn’t too spicy but they come in Mild and Medium as well. You will only need half a box to make about 2-3 servings.

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Don’t overcook the chicken as it will continue to cook in the curry mixture.

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Continue to saute the vegetable over medium heat until the onions are often and vegetables begin to brown.

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Break up the Vermont Curry cubes so they can easily dissolve in the mixture.

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Prepare flour, beaten egg, and panko crumbs in three separate plates.

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Flatten the pork chops to about 1/4 inch thick.

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Make sure the pork chops are well coated with the flour, egg, and panko crumbs.

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Fry the pork chops for about 3 minutes on each side.

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The pork chops should look golden and crispy. Lay the pork chops on a wire rack to drain the extra oil.

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Slice the pork chops and serve with curry and rice.

Makes 2-3 servings

1 red potato, sliced
1 carrot, diced
1/2 yellow onion, diced
2 Tbsp garlic, minced
4 chicken tenderloins, cubed
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
half box of Vermont Curry
2 pork tenderloins/chops
1/4 c flour
1 egg
1/2 c panko
2-3 c vegetable oil
2 cups rice, steamed

1. Prep the potato, carrot, onion, and garlic.

2. Boil the chicken tenderloins in a medium pot with 4 cups of water. Save the water after boiling the chicken. Slice the chicken into 1 inch cubes and set aside.

3. In a large pot over medium heat, saute 1 Tbsp of olive oil with garlic for 1-2 minutes. Then add in potato, carrot, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for about 8 minutes or until the vegetables are golden.

4. Pour the water saved from boiling chicken through a strainer to remove any debris. Measure 3 cups of the leftover water and pour into the vegetable mixture along with half a package of Vermont Curry cubes.

5. Bring the mixture to boil while stirring continuously until the sauce thickens and the curry cubes have dissolved completely. Simmer the mixture while you prepare the pork chops. Add a little bit of water if the curry becomes too thick.

6. Flatten the pork chops until they are about 1/4 inch thick. Season with salt and pepper on each side.

7. Prepare flour, beaten egg, and panko crumbs in three separate dishes. Dip the pork chops in the following order: flour, egg, then panko.

8. Heat up 2-3 cups of vegetable oil in a small pot until it is hot enough for frying. Fry the pork chops for 3 minutes on each side or until golden. Place the pork chops over a wire rack to drain the extra oil. Slice the pork chops into 5-6 pieces.

9. Serve curry over pork chops and a bed of rice.

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