Tonkatsu
Serves 4
June O'Sullivan of June's Cafe keeps her recipes closely guarded, but here's a tonkatsu recipe that's something like the staple of her diner. The "ton" means "pork" in Japanese, and the "katsu" refers to "cutlet." O'Sul- livan serves her tonkatsu over a bed of steamed rice and adds grilled onions for sweetness.
Recipe from "The Japanese Kitchen" (Kyle Books, $20.50, 240 pages) by Kimiko Barber.
INGREDIENTS
1 pound pork tenderloin
Salt and pepper
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 eggs, beaten
2 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
8 cabbage leaves, finely shredded
Tonkatsu sauce (available in the Asian aisle of grocery stores), for serving
INSTRUCTIONS
Cut the pork into 1-inch cubes and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roll the pork in the flour to coat, dust off the excess, then dip in the beaten egg and roll in the breadcrumbs. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oil to 350 degrees.
Cut out the hard stalk of the cabbage leaves and cut them in half. Layer 3 or 4 pieces together, roll them up tightly and shred finely. Leave to soak in cold water.
Deep-fry the cubes of pork in small batches until they are golden brown, turning them to ensure even cooking. Drain well over paper towels. Drain the cabbage, put a generous heap on each plate and arrange the pork next to it. Serve with tonkatsu sauce.
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