Tonkatsu (panko bread crumb coated and fried filet of pork)

Tonkatsu is a popular family dish in Japan and butchers often carry it already fried and piping hot for you to take home. Depending on taste, one can choose either pork shoulder (which contains a layer of fat and has a richer taste) or filet of pork which of course is lean and tender. Either way, if properly fried this dish is not at all oily as one might imagine a fried dish to be. It is a simple dish to prepare when you follow these simple steps.

- Log of Filet of pork cut in medallions of about ½in.~¾in. thick - salt, pepper -1 egg - all purpose flour - panko (Japanese bread crumbs) - canola oil for frying

1. Lightly salt and pepper the pork cut into medallions 2. Beat the eggs in a small bowl. 3. Prepare two large plates with flour and panko bread crumbs. 4. Coat medallions lightly in flour and dip them in the beaten eggs. 5. Coat it with panko and pat well. 6. Heat oil for deep frying in a deep pan to about 340°F or check temperature by putting a few bread crumbs into the oil - if the crumbs come up immediately, it is the right temperature. Stir the oil with a chopstick so that the temperature is even. Fry both sides to a light brown color. Be careful not to dry the pork by over-frying. It should be moist and juicy. Drain the fried pork on paper towels.

Serve with lemon wedges and very finely shredded cabbage. Dip in tonkatsu sauce (a vegetable, fruit and spice sauce：a good brand is "Bull-Dog" made in Japan availble at Uwajimaya or Central Market). You can put a small amount of "Karashi mustard", a hot Japanese yellow mustard on the tonkatsu if you like.