Japanese Style Crispy Pork Food

JAPANESE-STYLE CRISPY FRIED PORK BOWL (TONKATSU DONBURI)

Steps:

• Mix dashi, sugar, mirin, soy sauce, and salt together in a small bowl.
• Heat vegetable oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in dashi mixture. Lay pork slices carefully on top of the onions. Drizzle eggs around the slices. Cover skillet and cook until eggs are set, about 2 minutes.
• Divide rice between 2 bowls. Top each with half the onions, eggs, and pork slices.

TONKATSU (JAPANESE-STYLE CRISPY FRIED PORK CUTLETS)

Steps:

• Place pork chops on a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Whisk egg and soy sauce together in a small bowl.
• Place flour on a small plate and panko in another. Dredge a pork chop in the flour, pressing it in using your fingertips to cover all crevices along the surface. Turn to evenly coat all sides.
• Dip the pork into the egg mixture, coating completely. Transfer immediately to the bowl of panko, pressing in to evenly coat. Repeat process with the second pork chop.
• Heat oil in a wide pan or wok on medium-high heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lower a pork chop into the oil. Fry until bottom side is golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn; cook until other side turns golden and pork is slightly pink in the center, 2 to 3 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 145 degrees F (63 degrees C). Pick up the cutlet and hold it on its side for a few seconds to let the oil drip off. Drain on a paper towel. Repeat with the second pork chop.

CRISPY TAIWANESE PORK CUTLETS

Steps:

• Working one at a time, place pork chops on a cutting board and use the back of a cleaver or heavy chef's knife to pound meat, moving knife back and forth across the surface, to ⅛"-¼" thick. The surface will be jagged and textured.
• Whisk together soy sauce, vinegar, soy paste, sugar, black pepper, white pepper (if using), cinnamon, Five-Spice Powder, and ⅓ cup water in a large bowl. Add pork chops and turn to coat well. Cover and chill at least 2 hours and up to 6 hours.
• Remove pork from marinade and pat dry. Place sweet potato starch in a large shallow dish. Working one at a time, dredge pork in starch to coat well on both sides; shake off excess and transfer to a plate.
• Clip thermometer to the side of a large skillet or pot and pour in oil to come ½" up sides. Heat over medium-high until thermometer registers 350°F. Working in batches, fry pork until just golden, about 30 seconds per side. Transfer to a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet and let drain.
• Repeat process, frying pork a second time until deep golden brown, about 30 seconds per side. Return to rack and let cool slightly.
• Transfer pork to a cutting board; slice into strips. Arrange in a single layer on a platter; sprinkle with gochugaru if using.

TONKATSU WITH HOMEMADE SAUCE

Steps:

• For the sauce: Stir together the ketchup, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, mirin, sugar, Dijon and garlic powder in a small bowl. Set aside while you prepare the pork.
• For the pork: Put the flour in a shallow bowl. Whisk the egg with a small splash of water in a second shallow bowl. Add the panko to a deep dish.
• Lightly pound each piece of pork with a meat mallet, then generously sprinkle on both sides with salt and pepper. Dredge one cutlet in the flour, coating completely, then shake off any excess. Dip it in the egg mixture, letting any excess drip off, then coat with the panko, gently pressing it into the panko so the crumbs stick. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining cutlets.
• Heat about 1/3 inch oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Add 2 of the cutlets and cook until golden brown on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Flip the pieces over and cook until almost cooked through but still pink, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer the cutlets to a paper towel-lined cutting board, sprinkle with salt and tent with foil to keep warm. Repeat with the 2 remaining cutlets.
• For serving: Slice the cutlets crosswise into 1/2-inch strips. Place a sliced cutlet on each plate along with a scoop of rice, a mound of cabbage and 2 tomato wedges and/or cucumber slices, if using. Drizzle the cutlets with the sauce and serve with extra sauce on the side.

JAPANESE-STYLE CRISPY PORK

Steps:

• Season the pork with salt. Mix the rice wine and 1 teaspoon ginger and spread on the pork. Stack the pork and set aside.
• Peel, quarter and seed the cucumbers; cut into 4-inch spears. Toss with the sugar and vinegar. Toast the pepper flakes with 1 tablespoon salt in a skillet over medium heat, about 4 minutes; set aside.
• Beat the eggs with 1/2 cup water in a shallow bowl. Put the panko and cornstarch in 2 separate shallow bowls. Dredge each piece of pork in cornstarch, dip in egg, then coat with the panko. Heat 1/4 inch of peanut oil in a large skillet over high heat. Fry the pork in batches until golden, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Drain on a paper-towel-lined plate.
• Sprinkle the cucumbers with some of the spiced salt. Mix the tonkatsu sauce and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon ginger in a bowl. Serve the pork with the cucumbers and sauce.

JAPENESE-STYLE CRISPY PORK

Steps:

• Season the pork with salt. Mix the rice wine and 1 tsp ginger and spread on the pork. Set aside.
• Beat the eggs with ½ cup water in a shallow bowl. Put the Panko and cornstarch in 2 separate shallow bowls.
• Dredge each piece of pork in cornstarch, dip in egg, then coat with Panko.
• Heat ¼ inch of oil in large skillet over high heat. fry the pork in batches until golden, 3-4 minutes per side. Drain on paper towel lined plate.
• Mix the tonkatsu sauce and the remaining ½ tsp ginger in a bowl. Serve with pork.