Next Level Chicken Katsu Curry Food

KATSU CURRY (JAPANESE CURRY WITH CHICKEN CUTLET)

Steps:

• Add oil to a pot and heat over medium high heat.
• Add onion and sauté for a few minutes or until the onion becomes translucent and edges start getting slightly burnt.
• Add potatoes and carrots into the pot and stir for a couple of minutes or until the surface of the vegetables starts getting cooked.
• Add water and turn the heat up to bring it to a boil. Then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for about 7 minutes or until the vegetables are nearly cooked through (note 4).
• Break the curry roux cake into small blocks along the lines and add them into the pot. Stir gently to blend the curry roux.
• Reduce the heat to low, place a lid on and cook for about 10 minutes or until the curry roux is completely dissolved. Stir occasionally as the curry tends to stick to the bottom of the pot.
• Check the consistency of the sauce. It should be like béchamel sauce. If it's too thick, adjust with some water. If too thin, cook further without the lid. It will thicken when cooled down as well.
• Turn the heat off.

CHICKEN KATSU CURRY

Steps:

• Press down firmly with the palm of your hand to slightly flatten each chicken breast. Place them in a bowl, pour over the buttermilk, add the curry powder and a pinch of sea salt, crush in the garlic, then toss to coat. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight.
• When the time's up, sprinkle the breadcrumbs on to a tray. Remove the chicken from the buttermilk, shake off the excess, then turn in the breadcrumbs, pressing down to make them stick and flatten them a little more. Keep in the fridge until you're ready to cook.
• For the sauce, peel the onion, garlic, ginger and carrot, then finely chop with the coriander stalks (reserving the leaves).
• Fry in a large pan on a medium low heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the spices for 15 minutes, or until starting to caramelize, stirring regularly.
• Stir in the flour, then the mango chutney. Pour in 800ml of boiling water and leave to blip away for 15 minutes, or until reduced to a nice sauce consistency, stirring occasionally. Taste, season and add more mango chutney, if needed.
• Meanwhile, place 1 mug of rice in a medium pan with 2 mugs of boiling water and a good pinch of salt. Break in the creamed coconut and mix together. Bring to the boil, stir, then put the lid on and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the water has evaporated. Turn the heat off and leave with the lid on.
• Make a quick pickle by peeling and very finely slicing the red onion. Place in a bowl, finely grate in the lemon zest, squeeze in the juice and add a good pinch of salt. Deseed and finely slice the chilli and add to the bowl, then mix up.
• Just under half fill a large sturdy pan with vegetable oil - the oil should be 8cm deep, but never fill your pan more than half full - and place on a medium-high heat. Use a thermometer to tell when it's ready (170°C), or add a piece of potato and wait until it turns golden - that's the sign that it's ready to go.
• Carefully lower the chicken into the oil, fry for 8 minutes, or until golden and cooked through, then drain on kitchen paper.
• Alternatively, drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a large, cold non-stick frying pan on a medium heat. Cook the chicken for 10 minutes, or until golden and cooked through, turning after 6 minutes and drizzling with an extra 2 tablespoons of oil as you turn.
• To serve, put a quarter of the rice into a small bowl, press to compact and turn out on to a plate, then repeat with the other portions. Place the chicken next to the rice, cover with the sauce, then sprinkle over the pickle and the coriander leaves.

NEXT LEVEL CHICKEN KATSU CURRY

Steps:

• Cut each chicken breast in half lengthways, creating four fillets. Put each fillet between two sheets of baking parchment and beat with a rolling pin to even out the thickness.
• Pour the milk into a bowl and season with a large pinch of salt, then add the chicken fillets. Cover and leave in the fridge for at least 20 mins or for up to 24 hrs (the longer you leave the chicken in the milk, the more succulent it will be).
• When you're ready to coat the chicken, tip the flour, eggs and breadcrumbs into three separate bowls, then season the flour with the togarashi and stir the soy sauce into the eggs. Scoop one chicken fillet out of the milk and coat in the flour mix, then dip into the egg mix and coat in the breadcrumbs. Set on a plate and repeat with the rest of the chicken fillets. Can be prepared up to a day ahead and frozen for up to a month.
• To make the curry sauce, heat the butter in a saucepan and sizzle the carrot and onion for 5 mins, then add the garlic and ginger and cook for a few mins more. Scatter over the curry powder and cook for 1 min, then stir in the honey, ketchup, miso paste and soy sauce to create a sticky paste. Cook for 1 min more, then pour in 700ml boiling water and crumble in the stock cube. Cover and simmer for 20 mins until the carrot is soft. Tip the sauce into a blender and blitz until completely smooth (alternatively, use a hand blender). Season to taste. Can be made up to three days ahead and chilled or frozen for up to three months.
• To cook the katsu, heat a good layer of oil in a large frying pan, then add as many of the chicken fillets as you can fit and fry for 3-4 mins on each side until deep golden and crisp. Transfer to a tray and keep warm in a low oven while you cook the remaining fillets.
• Mix the cabbage and seaweed and sprinkle over some sesame seeds, if using. Top the katsu with the curry sauce and serve with the rice and salad, if you like.

CHICKEN KATSU CURRY

Steps:

• Immerse wooden skewers in water to soak for 30 mins at least (to avoid them from burning)
• Take chicken breast and tenderise by beating gently between parchment paper with a rolling pin.
• Slice breast into cubes leaving and thin ends to one side.
• Whisk one egg add and set aside in a bowl.
• Into another bowl measure two tbsp of flour, add in a tsp salt and tsp on pepper and mix well.
• `In another bowl add in the bake breadcrumbs
• Drop all chicken into bowl with four in and cover until completely coated then one by one dust each piece off, and go into the egg mix. Then place gently one by one into a frying pan with olive oil and allow to brown off gently turning for approx 5 minutes
• Meanwhile with a potato peeler slice up 2 parsnips into ribbons the coat with honey and olive oil.
• Once a nice golden brown colour has been reached, remove from gas and allow to cool.
• Once chicken is cool enough to handle take a skewer and thread on one ribbon of parsnip once of chicken breast until skewer is full.
• When you fold back parsnip ribbon onto skewers make sure you leave at least a 1cm gap between folds otherwise parsnip will not cook through) his will take up space on your skewer so you may only get 2 or 3 chicken chunks on each skewer. Alternate pieces, parsnip firs then skewer and so on.
• After skewers are full, suspend each end by propping over a baking tray if possible and cook in the oven for 25 mins on gas mark 5 for 25 minutes

CHICKEN KATSU CURRY

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a frying pan and sauté chopped onion over low heat until softened for about 7 minutes, then add the minced garlic and grated ginger and continue cooking for about a minute while stirring.
• Add the turmeric, curry powder and flour and cook for 1 minute until the mixture is fragrant and looks like a paste. Gradually pour in the chicken stock and stir to combine, then add the coconut milk and soy sauce, simmer until the curry is thickened. Taste and add 1-2 teaspoons of sugar to your preference. Cool the curry slightly, then process in a blender until smooth or leave it as it is.
• Slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise. Add flour mixed with salt and pepper to a bowl, then panko breadcrumbs to another bowl and beaten eggs to a third bowl. Arrange them in front of you.
• Dip each chicken cutlet first in flour, then in beaten egg, then coat it with breadcrumbs and place on a clean cutting board. Repeat with all chicken cutlets until you have 8 of them nicely coated in breadcrumbs.
• Spray each chicken breast with an oil spray on both sides and place in your air fryer basket in a single layer. Air fry on one side for 8 minutes,then flip over, spray again and air fry for 7 minutes longer. (My air fryer fits 2 chicken breasts at a time.) Keep the remaining raw chicken in the fridge until ready to air fry. Once the chicken is cooked, keep warm in a warm oven until ready to serve. Do not cover with foil or the breading will get soggy.
• Warm up the curry sauce and serve with cooked chicken and plain rice.

CHICKEN KATSU

Steps:

• For the katsu sauce: Stir together the ketchup, Worcestershire and soy sauce in a small bowl. Set aside.
• For the chicken: Set a wire rack in a baking sheet or line a large plate with a paper towel and set aside. Place the flour, eggs and panko into 3 separate large shallow bowls. Stir together 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl and then sprinkle the mixture on both sides of the cutlets. Working with 1 cutlet at a time, dredge it in the flour, dip it into the eggs, and then coat it with the panko, gently pressing both sides into the panko to make sure it adheres well. Transfer the cutlet to a plate and repeat with the remaining cutlets.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat until it reaches about 350 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer. (To test for readiness, sprinkle a few pieces of panko into the oil. It should bubble vigorously.)
• Working with 2 cutlets at a time to prevent crowding, cook the chicken until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to the prepared wire rack or plate, season with salt and let rest for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, repeat with the remaining 2 cutlets. (See Cook's Note.)
• Slice each cutlet crosswise into 1/2-inch strips, lay on a bed of sliced cabbage and serve with the katsu sauce, rice and a lemon wedge.

KATSU CURRY

Steps:

• To cook the rice, add 1 cup rice and two cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to very low and cover the pan. DON'T STIR THE RICE. Simmer for 10-12 minutes until all the water has evaporated. Remove from the heat. Remove the lid and cover the pan with a tea towel or paper towel and return the lid. (this will stop it becoming wet). Set aside while you cook everything else.
• Cook the Japanese Curry Sauce to the packet instructions. If they're in Japanese, just wing it - add a little water at a time - it thickens when hot, so just add a little at a time till you get a good thick pourable consistency. Cover and set aside while you prepare the cutlets.
• Place your chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap, and using a kitchen mallet, pound them to flatten out to about 1 inch. Set aside.
• Create a breading station with 3 separate bowls. Bowl 1: Flour, seasoned with salt & pepper Bowl 2: Beaten egg, mixed with 1-2 tbsp water Bowl 3: Panko breadcrumbs Dip the chicken into the flour, shake off the excess then dip into the egg. Shake off the excess egg and then dip into the Panko. Coat the chicken in breadcrumbs, pressing them firmly to stick to all parts of the chicken. Lightly shake off the excess and place on a plate while you do the same for the second piece of chicken. Leave these to dry a few minutes (it'll stop the breading coming off when you fry).
• Heat the oil in a deep frying pan until just hot, not smoking. About 185ºC/370ºF. Carefully place each chicken cutlet into the oil, away from yourself. Let them fry for about 5-6 minutes each side until the chicken is thoroughly cooked. Rest on a plate.
• To serve, cut the chicken into thick slices and arrange on the plate with the rice and a generous pouring of curry sauce.