Tonkatsu, pork cutlet


Pork cutlet trimmed of fat coated with panko and shallow-fried for two minutes. The sauce is made with regular soy sauce, scant sugar and corn starch, water, heated less than one minute to thicken.

To coat the cutlet, first a thin coat of flour, then beaten egg, then panko.

You can buy panko, of course, it is available at grocery stores now. This panko was made here at home from a small amount of yeasty dough. The size of a large dinner roll with enough yeast to make a whole loaf. So that it goes fast for yeast dough, a full teaspoon of dry yeast for mere 1/3 cup water. Then flour sufficient to bring to workable dough, less than one cup. Allowed to rise one hour then baked for 12 minutes, barely enough time to begin browning. At this point the unsalted bread is delicious and intensely yeasty. I could hardly keep off it even without salt but allowed to dry overnight. Processed in the Cuisinart using the shredding disc in one second flat. The bits baked again on low for 10 minutes to thoroughly dry but not brown. The result is hard crunchy bread pieces.  It is so successful I will make it again so that I have panko on hand.

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