Japanese-Style Crispy Pork

My father is amazing and got us a subscription to Food Network Magazine. We love it and are keeping every edition.

A lot of our new recipes we are trying this month are from it and this is a good variation of pork chops.

I wouldn't really call it "Japanese style". The only things that make it Japanese is the panko,  and ginger and using those products don't make it "Japanese".

Besides that, it is a good recipe and easy to make:

Japanese-Style Crispy Pork

Ingredients:

1 lb thin cut boneless pork chops or cutlets, trimmed

Kosher salt

2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine, sake or sherry

1 ½ teaspoons finely grated peeled ginger

2 medium cucumbers

½ to 1 teaspoon sugar

2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar

1 ½ teaspoons red pepper flakes

3 large eggs

2 cups panko

¾ cup cornstarch

Peanut Oil, for frying

Directions:

1) Season the pork with salt

2) Mix the rice wine and 1 teaspoon ginger and spread on the pork

3) Stack the pork and set aside

4) Peel, quarter and seed the cucumbers; cut into 4 inch spears

5) Toss with the sugar and vinegar

6) Toast the pepper flakes with 1 tablespoon salt in a skillet over medium heat, about 4 minutes, set aside

7) Beat the eggs with ½ cup water in a shallow bowl

8) Put the panko and cornstarch in 2 separate shallow bowls

9) Dredge each piece of pork in cornstarch, dip in egg, then coat with the panko

10) Heat ¼ inch of peanut oil in a large skillet over high heat

11) Fry the pork in batches until golden, 3 to 4 minutes per side

12) Drain on paper-towel-lined plate

13) Sprinkle the cucumbers with some of the spiced salt

14) Mix the tonkatsu sauce and the remaining ½ teaspoon ginger in a bowl

15) Serve the pork with the cucumbers and sauce

~Food Network Magazine, May 2010, page 78

The same page gave a recipe for a possible side sauce: 

2 tablespoons each: Ketchup, Worcester, Sugar and 1 tablespoon of water mixed together. The sauce definitely went with the meal and is very easy.

Notice Brian's expert plating abilities. The cucumbers were a nice touch, nice and light and not too spicy due to the red pepper. We would definitely make this recipe again.