Katsu Curry

チキンカツ

Katsu Curry is probably one of Japan’s most recognisable dishes; partly as a result of it being Wagamama’s most popular menu item. Also known as Panko Chicken or Tori Katsu, a chicken breast or pork is breaded, fried and served with either tonkatsu sauce – a bit like a concentrated Worcestershire sauce – or as I have done here with a mild curry sauce. However, this curry is not your usual Indian style curry and interestingly has unlikely influences from Britain. Unlike Indian curry sauces, the Japanese Katsu Curry sauce is primarily based on British curry powder as a result of British immigration into Japan in the 19th century. As a result, it is seen as a Western dish in Japan. My homemade Katsu Curry rivals Wagamama’s version and I would love to hear what you think. Please share your recreations with me on Instagram using  #documentingmydinner

RECIPE

SERVES 4 (Two chicken versions and two aubergine versions)

Difficulty Level: Home Cook

Ingredients:

For the Chicken Katsu

• 2 chicken breasts
• Panko breadcrumbs
• 1 egg, beaten
• Plain flour 

For the Aubergine Katsu

• 2 Aubergines, cut into 1 inch sliced discs
• Panko breadcrumbs
• 1 egg, beaten (if you are making it vegan, mix 2 tablespoons of cornflour with a drip of water to make a paste)
• Plain flour 

For the Katsu Curry sauce

• 1 onion
• 1 carrot
• 6 garlic cloves
• Thumb sized piece of ginger
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon each of chilli powder, garam masala, garlic powder and white pepper
• 1 heaped tablespoon plain flour
• 500ml vegetable stock (or use chicken stock)
• 1 heaped tablespoon honey or brown sugar 
• 1 teaspoon each of tomato ketchup and Worcestershire sauce.
• Salt and black pepper
• Sunflower oil
• Butter

For the quick pickled cucumber

• 1 cucumber, sliced very thinly (use a mandolin or vegetable peeler)
• Tablespoon of salt
• 200ml rice wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon nigella seeds

For the steamed sticky rice:

• 200g Thai sticky rice, soaked for 2-10 hours
• Salt

Method

For the steamed sticky rice:

1. Drain the soaked rice. Season with salt.
2. Use a rice steamer to cook the rice. I used a bamboo steamer lined with grease proof paper.
3. Place the seasoned, drained rice into the steamer, place on top of a pan of simmering water and steam for 30 minutes until soft and sticky.

For the Quick Pickled Cucumber:

1. Place the cucumber slices in a colander with a bowl underneath and sprinkle over the salt, mixing through. Put a heavy bowl on top and allow to drain for 10 minutes. Discard the water collected in the bowl underneath. Rinse the cucumber and place in a bowl. Sprinkle over the nigella seeds. Pour over the vinegar and then cover the cucumber with water. Leave to pickle as you get on with the rest of the dish.

For the Katsu Curry Sauce:

1. Make the Katsu Curry sauce. Place the onion, carrot, garlic cloves, ginger and a tablespoon of sunflower oil in a food processor. Blitz to a paste.
2. Add the paste to a large frying pan over a a medium high heat and cook, stirring, for five minutes. Add the curry powder, chilli powder, garam masala, garlic powder and white pepper to the pan and allow to cook out for two more minutes.
3. Add a tablespoon of butter to the pan and allow to melt. Stir in the plain flour and cook, stirring, for five minutes until you have a thick paste.
4. Gradually add in the stock, stirring constantly. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Stir through the honey or brown sugar, the ketchup and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer for another couple of minutes.Taste and season with a good grind of salt and pepper. 
5. Blitz the sauce with a blender until really smooth (optional) Keep the sauce warm whilst you make the chicken and aubergine katsu.

For the Chicken and Aubergine Katsu:

1. If you are catering for vegetarians, do the Aubergine first. Preheat the oven to 220C.
2. Lay out three plates. Add a handful of plain flour to the first, the two beaten eggs to the next and a handful of panko breadcrumbs to the last (you may need to add more). 
3. For the chicken, place the chicken breasts in between two sheets of cling film. Use a rolling pin to bash the chicken breasts into even, thin escalopes. 
4. Cut your aubergine into 1 inch sliced discs.
5. Season the aubergine slices and chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
6. Coat the aubergine slices/chicken breasts in flour, then dip in the egg and coat with the breadcrumbs. For extra crispiness, dip back in the egg and back in the breadcrumbs. (To make it vegan- use the cornflour paste instead of the egg!)
7. Heat two large frying pans over a medium high heat. Add a one inch layer of sunflower oil to each pan and allow to heat to 180C. A thermometer will make this accurate, but it should take around 2 minutes to heat up. Don’t overheat the oil or the breadcrumbs will burn before the chicken/aubergine is cooked.
8. Add the aubergine slices/chicken to the pan and cook on each side for 2 minutes. Transfer to oven-proof dishes and cook in the oven for around 7-10 minutes.
9. Remove from the oven and serve with the Katsu Curry sauce, steamed rice and pickled cucumber!