Crispy Tonkatsu Donburi

• servings: 3 servings
• active time: 15 minutes
• total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

¾ lb thinly sliced pork loin (I used thinly sliced “pork for shogayaki, ginger pork“ from a Japanese grocery store)

⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper

¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt

½ cup all-purpose flour (plain flour)

2 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell) (beaten)

1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

1 cup neutral oil (for frying)

3 servings cooked Japanese short-grain rice (typically 1⅔ cups, 250 g per donburi serving)

2 leaves green cabbage (cut into julienned strips)

Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise

tonkatsu sauce (you can make homemade Tonkatsu Sauce)

pickled red ginger (beni shoga or kizami beni shoga)

green onions/scallions

Directions

Before You Start: Gather all the ingredients. For the steamed rice, please note that 2¼ cups (450 g, 3 rice cooker cups) of uncooked Japanese short-grain rice yield 6⅔ cups (990 g) of cooked brown rice, enough for 3 donburi servings (5 cups, 750 g). See how to cook short-grain rice with a rice cooker, pot over the stove, Instant Pot, or donabe.I use thinly sliced pork for shogayaki (ginger pork), which is slightly thicker than sliced pork for shabu shabu. If you only have shabu shabu meat, you need to layer the pork with 2–3 slices.

Sprinkle ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt and ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper on ¾ lb thinly sliced pork loin. Then, dip each slice of meat into ½ cup all-purpose flour (plain flour) first, then 2 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell) (beaten), and finally in 1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs).

In a large nonstick frying pan, heat 1 cup neutral oil (enough for ½ inch of oil) on medium-high heat. Check how to deep-fry food if you are not familiar with deep-frying techniques.

When it’s hot, add 2 pieces of meat to the pan, laying it flat. Turn over when the bottom side is browned.

When both sides are cooked and golden brown, remove the meat from the oil and place it on paper towels.

Divide and serve 3 servings cooked Japanese short-grain rice in donburi bowls. Shred and divide 2 leaves green cabbage over the top. Crisscross the cabbage with Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise.

When the tonkatsu cools down a bit, cut it into ½-inch strips crosswise. Place the meat on top of the cabbage and drizzle with a bit of tonkatsu sauce. Top with pickled red ginger (beni shoga or kizami beni shoga) and chopped green onions/scallions. Enjoy!

Nutrition

• Calories: 565 kcal
• Total Fat: 25 g
• Saturated Fat: 17 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
• Trans Fat: 1 g
• Cholesterol: 162 mg
• Sodium: 303 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 48 g
• Dietary Fiber: 1 g
• Total Sugars: 1 g
• Protein: 34 g