Katsu Curry
Ingredients
- 2 cups Japanese short-grain rice – rinsed and cooked
- 2 1/4 cups water – for cooking rice
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt – divided for curry and pork
- 1/2 teaspoons black pepper – finely ground, divided for curry and pork
- 24 ounces onion – thinly sliced (~5 medium onions)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 ounces carrot – finely grated (~2 medium carrots)
- 3 cloves garlic – minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger – finely grated
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour – for curry roux
- 2 tablespoons curry powder – Japanese-style
- 32 ounces chicken stock – low-sodium
- 1 medium apple – peeled and grated
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless pork loin chops – pounded to 0.5 inch thick
- 3/4 cups all-purpose flour – for dredging
- 2 large eggs – beaten
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs – Japanese-style
- 4 cups neutral oil – for deep-frying
- fukujinzuke pickles – for serving
Instructions
1. Cook the rice: Combine Japanese short-grain rice and water in a rice cooker (or pot), then cook until tender; keep warm.
2. Make a seasoning mix: In a small bowl, combine the kosher salt and black pepper; set aside, reserving about half for the curry and half for the pork and dredge.
3. Start the curry base: Melt unsalted butter in a wide pot over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until deep golden and jammy, 18–22 minutes.
4. Add carrot, garlic, and fresh ginger; cook until fragrant and the carrot softens, 2–3 minutes.
5. Stir in tomato paste and cook until slightly darkened, about 1 minute.
6. Sprinkle in the all-purpose flour (for curry roux) and curry powder. Cook, stirring, until the flour smells toasty, 1–2 minutes.
7. Gradually whisk in chicken stock until smooth. Add apple, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and about half of the reserved seasoning. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thick enough to coat a spoon, 15–20 minutes.
8. Blend the sauce smooth with an immersion blender (or carefully in a countertop blender), then return to a gentle simmer. Stir in garam masala and simmer 2 minutes more; adjust thickness with a splash of stock if needed. Keep warm over low heat.
9. Prepare the katsu: Place the all-purpose flour (for dredging) in a shallow dish, the eggs in a second dish, and the panko breadcrumbs in a third. Pat dry the boneless pork loin chops, sprinkle both sides with some of the remaining reserved seasoning, then dredge in flour, dip in eggs, and press into panko to coat; rest the breaded cutlets 5 minutes.
10. Heat the neutral oil in a large, heavy skillet to 350°F/175°C. Fry cutlets in batches, turning once, until deeply golden and cooked through (145°F/63°C), 4–5 minutes per side. Drain on a wire rack.
11. Slice the katsu crosswise into strips.
12. To serve, mound the cooked rice in bowls, ladle on curry sauce, and top with sliced katsu. Add fukujinzuke pickles as desired (for serving).
Katsu Curry pairs a shatteringly crisp, panko-breaded cutlet with a mellow, velvety Japanese curry sauce served over fluffy short-grain rice. The sauce is gently spiced rather than fiery, with a savory-sweet balance and a rich, gravy-like body that clings to the rice and cutlet. The contrast of textures—crunchy katsu, silky curry, and tender rice—makes the dish deeply satisfying and comforting.
Japanese curry arrived via Britain in the late 19th century and evolved into a distinct home and diner staple known as yoshoku, or Western-influenced Japanese cuisine. Katsu (a pork or chicken cutlet) originated from European cutlets adapted to Japanese tastes in the early 1900s. The two were famously joined mid-20th century; one popular account credits a Ginza restaurant with serving curry and cutlet together for a baseball player who wanted an easy-to-eat meal, cementing katsu curry as a beloved classic across Japan.