The Great NZ Food Show

The Great NZ Food Show

Chelsea Winter – chef / cookbook author – 2:00pm

Chelsea Winter – Crispy Tonkatsu

Prep time: 30 minutes plus marinating time | Cook time: 30 minutes

Serves: 5–6

Ingredients

500g pork medallions or loin cutlets with the bone cut off, or rump

2 cups milk (optional)

salt and ground black and white pepper

2–3 cups panko crumbs (or dried white breadcrumbs)

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1/2 cup plain flour

3 free-range eggs, beaten

1 cup rice bran or grapeseed oil

chopped fresh chives to serve (optional)

Tonkatsu sauce

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup tomato sauce

2 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp soy sauce (reduced-salt if possible)

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 tsp malt vinegar

1/2 tsp cornflour mixed with 1 tsp water

1/4 tsp Chinese five-spice

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Method

Marinate the pork in the milk overnight in a ziplock bag, bowl or container. If you don’t have the time this isn’t essential, but I recommend it — especially if you’re using rump.

Lay each trimmed piece of pork between a double layer of cling wrap. Use a rolling pin or meat mallet to pound the meat until it’s about 1cmthick. (I’ve been known to use an actual hammer for this — lay a tea towel over the meat to protect it, and don’t use too much force or you’ll smash holes in it.) If your bench rattles a bit, do this on a chopping board on the (clean!) floor.

Season the meat generously on both sides with salt and peppers.

Add the panko crumbs (or breadcrumbs) and sesame seeds to a mixing bowl. Add the flour to a smaller bowl. Dredge each piece of pork in the flour, dust off the excess, then dip in the beaten egg. Let the excess drain off, then coat in the crumb mixture. Set aside on a board. Coverand refrigerate for 20 minutes or so.

To make the sauce, add all the ingredients to a saucepan over a medium heat. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 5–10 minutes or until the mixture has thickened. Turn off the heat.

Preheat the oven to 50°C regular bake. Set a metal rack in a roasting tray or similar in the oven — this is for the cooked pork to rest on.

Add the oil to a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Heat for 5 minutes and, when it’s hot, add a few pieces of pork. Cook for 2–3 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Transfer to the metal rack and leave in the oven to keep warm while you cook the rest.

To serve, slice the pork, drizzle it with the sauce and sprinkle over the chopped chives (if using). This is lovely served with rice or noodles.