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Recipe:  Katsu Don

I love Japanese restaurants.  And, one of my favorite dishes to order is katsu don.  Well, it was one of my favorite things to order before I started making it at home.  My grandmother, who is from Japan, has a knack for tasting out ingredients and replicating dishes at home, and is one of my culinary idols alongside Julia Child and Hiroyuki Sakai, has a recipe for restaurant style katsu don that easy to make and tastes great.

For this dish, you’ll need:
  • Pork (I would suggest either a tenderloin, or pre-cut pork chops.)
  • Panko bread crumbs (enough to coat)
  • Vegetable oil (enough to fry)
  • Chicken stock (1 cup)
  • White sugar (1 tablespoon)
  • Soy Sauce (to taste)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 Onion (optional)
  • White rice

And:
  • A cutting board
  • Two skillets or wide pans
  • A meat tenderizer/hammer/mallet
  • Various bowl and plates

Katsu don gets its name from “tonkatsu,” a breaded pork cutlet, and “donburi,” a rice bowl dish.  So, basically, you’re making a rice bowl topped with some fried pork.

  1. Prepare your rice using whatever method you prefer (instant stovetop rice, rice cooker/steamer, etc).  You’ll want to make about a cup of rice per serving.  Get your rice going early and set it aside until the rest of the dish is ready.

  2. Combine in a bowl:  the chicken stock, white sugar, and soy sauce.  The mixture should be a deep, yellow-brown color.  Set aside for later.

  3. Now to prepare the pork.  If you’re only making enough for one or two servings, I’d suggest picking up a few pork chops.  If you’re cooking for four or more, I’d recommend using a whole tenderloin, it’s usually less expensive and the end result is the same.  Avoid anything with a bone.  Place the pork on a large cutting board and cover with a sheet of plastic wrap.  Using a meat tenderizer (a hammer works just as well), pound the meat out until it’s between ¼ and ½ inch in thickness.  Cut the meat into strips.

  4. Pour about a cup of panko into a bowl.  Roll the strips of pork in the panko (one at a time) until they are covered.  Shake off any loose crumbs and move the breaded strips to a clean plate.  Refill the bowl with panko as needed.

  5. In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil until it is hot enough to fry.  How will you know when it’s hot enough?  Drop a flake of panko in the pot.  If the oil sputters and pops, it’s hot enough.

  6. Cook the pork strips in the oil until they are golden brown on both sides.  Remove the strips to a second clean plate (don’t reuse the first plate; don’t cross contaminate.)

  7. Whisk two eggs in a bowl.  Set aside.

  8. Bring the stock mixture to a simmer in a second pan.  Add the pork strips to the simmering stock.  When everything is hot and bubbly, pour the eggs over the pork, cover, and reduce heat.  If desired, add some sliced onion to the simmering broth.

  9. When the eggs have cooked (the steam and heat from the pan should accomplish this), lay the pork, eggs, and remaining broth over a bowl of white rice.

Katsu don can be a whole meal in itself, but, if you’re thinking about side dishes, I’d suggest something green and Asian inspired.  Maybe some broccoli tossed with sriracha, or fresh edamame.  You could also, if desiring the Japanese “bento” boxed lunch feel, serve your rice bowls with miso soup and sushi.
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For Spring Break this year I found myself in sunny Toronto.  While immersing myself in all things Canadian, I discovered my favourite new comfort food.  Start with a plate of french fries, add a liberal scattering of fresh cheese curds, and top the whole thing with hot gravy.  The Canadians call it poutine, If it sounds a little messy, well that’s acknowledged; it’s name comes from the French (it originated in Quebec) for “it will make a damn mess.” Warm and hearty, it makes a delicious appetizer or side dish; especially on a chilly or dreary day.  After doing some kitchen experimentation, I’ve found it’s also very easy to prepare at home.   

The classic poutine preparation consists of three things:  French fried potatoes, fresh cheddar cheese curds, and turkey gravy.  That being said, there are dozens of ways to tweak the ingredients and create your own “house” variant on the basic recipe.  I would suggest giving the standard formula a try before branching outside
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Last time I went home I found a tasty new treat; my parents were munching on a curious Japanese bean by the name of edamame.

As far as I could tell, edamame is somewhat of a fad.  Microsoft Word thinks I’m trying to spell “examine,” if that is any indicator of its cultural relevance.  It certainly wasn’t a part of my world growing up, but it seems to be gradually steeping into my consciousness.  Bags of frozen edamame have started popping up in grocery stores, and I keep finding more and more recipes featuring the beans.  Still, I was a bit surprised to find them waiting for me in my parents’ kitchen seeing as my parents aren’t really foodies (they aren’t culinary backwards or living under a rock, but they aren’t food fashion victims following any and every culinary trend either).  It would seem that edamame might be making a transition from a flash-in-the-pan “it” entrée to a regular member of the everyday American meal plan. Why wouldn’t it though?  It is the rare combination of nutritiously guilt-free and addictively appetizing foodstuff.  Add the fact that it’s ridiculously simple to prepare and we have a definite contender for plate space.

Maybe I’m getting a bit ahead of myself;
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A recipe doesn’t need to be complicated to be rewarding and worth-while; some of the best are both simple to make and delicious to eat.  One such dish, a family favorite of mine, Corn Chowder Casserole makes an excellent holiday side dish.  Its ease in preparation and uncomplicated, comforting ingredients makes it appropriate for potlucks and other events requiring a lot of food for a large group of people.

I stole this particular preparation from my aunt (who traditionally pairs the dish with a “corn song,” the lyrics of which I will not repeat here).  Other recipes for corn chowder casserole exist, but I prefer this one because it can be made so effortlessly.  
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I’ve been cooking with garlic a lot lately, and it’s become a problem.  Garlic doesn’t pose any health complications, it’s actually been linked to boosted immune systems and reduced heart disease.  It isn’t the flavor either, garlic’s unique taste complements a variety of national cuisines and can punch up numerous bland dishes.  What makes garlic such a problematic little herb is its habit of lingering on the breath and body.  After some recent mincing left a garlicky odor on my fingers for what felt like days, I decided to do some research and solve this smelly predicament.

Before we really get into things, let’s talk about some garlic basics (in case there’s any confusion).  Garlic is an herb with origins in central Asia, and early traders spread the bulbs throughout the world.  Garlic is usually discussed in terms of “cloves,” which is just one single section of the fist-sized “head.”  This is an important distinction, don’t cook up a whole head of garlic (which usually contains a dozen or more cloves) when a recipe calls for a clove.  Garlic bulbs grow underground, but they aren’t roots.  They’re actually swollen leaves the plant produces to store energy for the next growing period (this is also the case for garlic’s relative: the onion).  The name “garlic” comes from another botanical cousin:  the leek.  “Garlic” is Anglo-Saxon for “spear-leek” (garlic leaves are slim and blade-like, unlike the broader, fuller leaves of the leek).  When shopping, pick firm bulbs without sprouts.  Garlic keeps well, and bulbs can stay fresh for six months.  Refrigerated garlic might lose a little flavor, so it’s best to store it at room temperature.
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Photo courtesy of Joyosity on Flickr
Caramel is a fall favorite:  caramel apples, caramel corn, caramel candies – they all have a warm, seasonal glow.  Caramel is also very sticky and making this treat is an even messier ordeal.  Hot melting sugar covers spoons, pans, bowls, and anything else it comes it touches.  While I very much wanted to write about, and make, caramels, I also knew the process would be quite a struggle.

Like any civilized society, my apartment has a set of rules; laws if you will.  Chief amongst these is:  “No homemade caramel!”  It seemed like a good rule at the time, caramel is really hard to clean up, and there’s so much potential for disaster.   I’m on a quest, however, to break out of my comfort zone and explore my culinary world, and caramel is just that, an adventure. 
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