tonkatsu

Tonkatsu is a Japanese dish consisting of a breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet, usually from the loin or shoulder, about 1-2 centimeters thick. The meat is seasoned, lightly tenderized, then dredged in flour, dipped in beaten egg, and coated with panko breadcrumbs before being fried until crisp and golden. It is commonly served sliced into strips over a plate of shredded cabbage and accompanied by miso soup and steamed rice, with a side of tonkatsu sauce, a thick, sweet-sour condiment similar to Worcestershire sauce.

Origin and naming: Tonkatsu is part of yoshoku, Western-inspired Japanese cuisine. It is believed to have been developed in Japan in the late 19th or early 20th century, as a Japanese adaptation of breaded cutlets seen in European kitchens. The name combines ton (pork) with katsu, derived from katsuretsu (cutlet) or the English word cutlet.

Variations: The cutlet can be made from pork loin (rosu-katsu) or pork fillet (hire-katsu). Chicken version is known as chicken katsu. Popular adaptations include katsu-don, where the cutlet is simmered briefly with egg over rice, and katsu curry, where the cutlet is served with Japanese curry and rice. Katsu sandwiches (katsu sando) are another common form.