Katsudon (カツ丼) is a popular Japanese rice bowl made with tonkatsu (deep-fried pork cutlet), egg, sautéed onions, and rice in a sweet and savory sauce. A delicious blend of textures and flavors, enjoy this hearty comfort food any day of the week with this easy recipe.
Key Ingredients: – Pork Loin or Pork Chop – All-purpose flour – Eggs – Panko Breadcrumbs – Oil for Frying – Kombu – Soy Sauce, Mirin, Sake, Sugar – Onions – Steamed Rice – Green Onions, Scallions, or Mitsuba Swipe up for the full list!
To prepare pork cutlets, start by making a kombu-infused water. Boil 2 cups of water, then remove from heat and add a kombu sheet. Let it soak for at least 10 minutes (longer for more flavor), then remove and discard the kombu, but reserve the water.
Next, place the pork chops between sheets of plastic wrap and pound them to a 1/4-inch thickness. Set them aside.
Create a dredging station with three shallow bowls: one with all-purpose flour, one with beaten eggs, and one with panko breadcrumbs mixed with salt and black pepper. Coat each pork cutlet in the flour, then dip it in the egg, and finally, coat it with the panko mixture, pressing it on.
To make Katsudon, start by heating 3 inches of vegetable oil in a deep-frying skillet to 350-375°F. Once hot, add the breaded pork cutlets and fry until they are golden brown on each side, around 3-4 minutes per side. Remove them from the skillet and set them aside.
In a large skillet over medium heat, add kombu broth (dashi or dashi stock), soy sauce, mirin, and sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
Add sliced onions to the mixture and cook them slowly until they become soft, translucent, and most of the liquid has evaporated. You may need to reduce the heat or cover the skillet to prevent the liquid from evaporating too quickly.
While the onions are cooking, slice the tonkatsu (fried pork cutlet) into thin strips and whisk the remaining two eggs in a small bowl. Once the onions are cooked, place the sliced tonkatsu on top of the onions in the skillet. Pour the beaten eggs over the pork cutlet and onions.
Cover the skillet with a lid and cook for 4-5 minutes or until the eggs are fully cooked. Serve the Katsudon over cooked white rice and garnish with sliced green onions if desired.