I’m low key obsessed with Japanese culture and cuisine. I travelled around Japan for a month in 2009 I still talk about the trip as if it happened last year.
There is something so amazing about a culture that is so rooted in tradition, yet is somehow simultaneously futuristic. Everything in Japan seems to serve a purpose (except for the grocery items that are wrapped in 5 different types of plastic for no apparent reason.) The food is simple, yet so flavorful. I am constantly craving Japanese flavors and cook Japanese ingredients often. Something you’ll hear me talk about a lot if you continue to follow my recipes, are the limitations to living in a small town. 3.5 years ago we moved out of Brooklyn to a small town a few hours north of the city. I grew up in NYC and I am very used to having everything at my fingertips, especially food. So it’s safe to say I’ve had to make some adjustments to my simple, country life, which includes making the dishes I’m craving, rather than ordering them. While I miss the convenience of having whatever cuisine I’m in the mood for, quickly delivered to my door, I’ve enjoyed the experience of having to understand how some of my favorite foods are made in order to recreate them. We ate chicken cutlets a lot growing up and chicken katsu is the Japanese version of one of my childhood favorites. It’s crispy, crunchy, tender and a huge bonus: kids love it.
Japanese Pantry Staples
If you like Japanese flavors and think you might be interested in making more Japanese inspired dishes, I suggest having the following items in your pantry:
soy sauce
sesame oil
rice vinegar (unsweetened)
mirin
sesame seeds
When I cook dinner for my family, I usually have about an hour to get it all done. An hour is not an insignificant amount of time to make a meal, however, sometimes it means I have to cut a few corners. I did exactly that when creating this recipe. I have omitted the traditional breading format for the chicken (flour, egg, panko) and instead opted to just use a seasoned panko directly onto the dry, pounded chicken tenders. I've used tenders instead of breasts, which cook faster because they are smaller, and the tenders are cooked in the oven, not pan fried on the stove top. By baking the chicken in the oven, I've eliminated some serious oil splatter mess, and given myself some extra time to make a sauce or get some dishes done.
Chicken Katsu with Japanese Slaw & Spicy Roasted Broccoli
Serves 3-4
*can be prepared up to one day in advance
Chicken Katsu
1 pack chicken cutlets, pounded to ¼” thickness
1 cups panko bread crumbs
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tbs sesame seeds
ground black pepper
3-4 tbs vegetable, peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil
garnish (optional) cilantro leaves or chopped scallion
Preheat oven to 400°.
In a shallow, wide bowl or container, mix the panko, garlic powder, salt, sesame seeds and a bit of ground pepper.
Line a sheet pan with tin foil and pour the peanut oil on it. Move the pan around so that the entire surface is coated. If it seems like there is barely enough, add another tablespoon.
Press the pounded chicken cutlets, one at a time, into the panko mix and repeat on the other side, making sure they are well covered. Shake off any excess. Transfer chicken to prepared sheet pan. Bake for 5 minutes. Using tongs, carefully flip chicken over and then rotate sheet pan. Bake again or another 5 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to absorb any excess oil.
Once cool enough to handle, slice in 1/4" - 1/2" slices.
Tonkatsu Sauce*
½ cup ketchup
1 tbs brown sugar
1 tbs worcestershire sauce
2 tbs soy sauce
¼ tsp ginger powder
Combine all ingredients with a whisk. Let sauce sit for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Japanese Slaw*
1 small white cabbage, quartered and thinly sliced
2-3 carrots, peeled and grated
3 scallions, thinly sliced
¼ cup rice wine vinegar
¼ cup peanut oil or canola oil
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tbs soy sauce
zest from one orange
zest from one lime
Juice of ½ orange
juice of ½ lime
1 tbs sesame seeds
In a large mixing bowl, add the soy sauce, vinegar, oils, zests and juices. Whisk to combine. Add the cabbage, carrots, scallions and sesame seeds and stir to combine. Make at least 30 minutes before serving. Can be made up to two days ahead.
Spicy Roasted Broccolini
3 bunches broccolini, cut into florets
2 tbs peanut oil (or canola)
2 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs sriracha
juice from ½ lime
Preheat oven to 375°. Toss broccoli with oil, soy sauce, lime juice and sriracha. Roast on a tin foil lined sheet tray until brown and beginning to crisp, about 10 minutes.
Serving Suggetion
Best served in a shallow bowl or rimmed plate. Place a few spoonfuls of slaw in the bowl and accompany with roasted broccoli. Top with several slices of chicken and drizzle tonkatsu sauce over entire dish. Garnish with chopped scallion or cilantro if desired.