Wondering what to do with your leftover tonkatsu? You can always just warm them up again, but if you want to change things up, tonkatsu makes a wonderful addition to a hot bowl of rice. Called tonkatsu donburi, or katsudon for short, this savory dish consists of a bowl of rice topped with crispy fried pork strips, onions, eggs, and just the right amount of sauce. Easy to make with leftovers, it is a popular diner food in Japan.
I was craving this dish and had to make some for myself after watching an episode of The Devil is a Part Timer. The characters end up in Tokyo, get arrested for looking suspicious, and while they are at the station, the cops think they look hungry and go out of their way serve them some food.
I thought it kind of funny and yet very fitting for their first impression of Japan. I also think the fact that the easiest thing for the cops to get for them to eat was katsudon says a lot about the modern Japanese diet, at least in the younger generation. In fact, it has become a superstition to eat katsudon the night before taking a major test since katsu can also mean “to be victorious”. I imagine this dish gets eaten a lot, especially towards finals!
Want to try this but don’t have any tonkatsu around? Don’t worry, you can substitute any fried meat instead. You can try fried chicken or turkey, just make sure that you are using chicken strips and not pieces with bones! If you don’t feel comfortable deep frying, you can even use the frozen chicken strips in the freezer section! (I won’t tell) Since it is a really filling dish, I usually try to cut back on the rice even more and serve some light vegetable on the side. That way I can feel less guilty and eat it more often!
Recipe – Katsudon:
– In a medium skillet heat oil over medium high heat. Chop the onion, and when the skillet is hot, add them to the pan. Saute for about 5 minutes until the onions are translucent and fragrant.
– Prepare sauce by mixing dashi, salt, sugar, and soy sauce in a small bowl. Once onions are cooked, add sauce to the pan.
– Prepare pork by cutting the pieces into long strips. Gently nestle the pieces on top of the onions, taking care not to disturb the breading too much.
– Beat two eggs in a small bowl, then carefully drizzle eggs around the sides of the tonkatsu slices. Cover the pan and let cook for about 2 minutes until the eggs are set.
– Divide rice into two bowls, then top each bowl with half of the onions, eggs, and tonkatsu slices. Garnish with green onions and serve immediately.
Discuss and Share