Hirekatsu is a popular dish in Japan, made by coating a pork fillet in breadcrumbs and deep frying it. It is usually served with a tonkatsu sauce, which is a thick, Worcestershire sauce-based sauce. Hirekatsu can be served with rice and vegetables, or on its own as a main dish.
Ingredients
- 1 pork fillet
- 1 egg
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- vegetable oil, for frying
- tonkatsu sauce, for serving (optional)
Method
- Cut the pork fillet into 4 equal portions.
- Beat the egg in a bowl.
- In a shallow dish, mix together the breadcrumbs, flour, salt and pepper.
- Dip each piece of pork in the egg, then coat in the breadcrumb mixture.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook for 3-4 minutes each side, or until golden brown and cooked through.
- Serve with tonkatsu sauce, if desired.
Potential changes & improvements
There are many ways that you can change and improve this dish. For example, you could:
- Try using a different type of breadcrumb, such as Panko breadcrumbs.
- Add some finely chopped vegetables to the breadcrumb mixture.
- Try using a different type of pork, such as pork loin or pork tenderloin.
- Instead of deep frying, you could try pan frying, oven baking or even grilling the pork.
What other food it works well with
Hirekatsu goes well with rice and vegetables, or you could serve it with a salad or coleslaw. It also goes well with other Japanese dishes, such as miso soup and tempura.
Common Mistakes
Some common mistakes that people make when making Hirekatsu include:
- Not pounding the pork fillet thin enough. This will result in a tough and chewy dish.
- Not heating the oil hot enough. This will result in the pork not being crispy.
- Overcrowding the pan. This will make the pork take longer to cook and will result in an uneven cook.
Nutritional Information
Per serving:
- Calories: 400
- Fat: 21g
- Saturated fat: 7g
- Cholesterol: 97mg
- Sodium: 1060mg
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 1g
- Sugar: 3g
- Protein: 28g
Allergens:
- Egg
- Wheat
- Soy