Ingredients (2 pers.):
For Baked Katsu:
1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1 Tbsp. neutral flavor oil (vegetable, canola, etc.)
2 pieces ½”-thick lean boneless pork loin chops (2 pieces = ½ lb. or 226 g, thickness: 1.2 cm or ½” )
1 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1-2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 large egg
For Katsudon:
½ onion
2 large eggs (divided)
2 servings cooked Japanese short grain rice
For Katsudon Sauce:
1 cup dashi
2 Tbsp. sake
2 Tbsp. mirin
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp granulated sugar
Preparation:
Gather all the ingredients. Adjust oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 400F (200C).
Combine the panko and oil in a frying pan and toast over medium heat until golden brown. Transfer panko into a shallow dish and allow to cool.
Cut the onions into thin slices.
Remove the extra fat and make a couple of slits on the connective tissue between the meat and fat. The reason why you do this is that red meat and fat have different elasticity, and when they are cooked they will shrink and expand at different rates. This will allow Tonkatsu to stay nice and flat and prevent it from curling up.
Pound the meat with a meat pounder, or if you don’t have one then just use the back of knife to pound. Mold the extended meat back into original shape with your hands.
Sprinkle salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Dredge each pork piece in the flour to coat completely and pat off the excess flour. Then dip into the beaten egg and finally coat with the toasted panko. Press on the panko flakes to make sure they adhere to the pork.
Place the pork on the prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper or even better if you have an oven-safe wire rack (as air goes through on the bottom so panko won’t get crushed). Bake at 400F (200C) until the pork is no longer pink inside, about 20 minutes.
Remove the tonkatsu from the oven and cut into 1 inch pieces (so you can eat with chopsticks).
Make katsudon seasoning. Beat an egg in a bowl.
Put half of the onion slices into the pan and pour ½ to ¾ cup of the sauce to cover them. Adjust the amount of sauce based on your frying pan size. I use oyakodon frying pan which makes for 1 serving. Bring the sauce and onions to a boil. Lower the heat to medium and cook onion slices until translucent, about 4-5 minutes.
Put the Tonkatsu in it and turn the heat up to medium high heat. Pour and distribute beaten egg evenly and cover with the lid.
When egg is half cooked, turn off the heat.
Serve rice in a donburi bowl and put Tonkatsu and egg mixture on top. Serve with shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice) on the side.