Japanese Katsu Curry with Fried Chicken

Slofoodgroup Team June 23, 2021

Chicken Katsu in Curry Sauce with Peas

Chicken katsu, is a popular Japanese dish of breaded and fried chicken cutlets. It is usually served with shredded cabbage and tonkatsu sauce, which is a thick, salty and sweet sauce. 

There are many variations of this popular dish and one of the most popular ones is katsu curry. Curry was introduced in Japan by the British in the Meiji era (1868-1912) and it is considered a Western-style food. It is not as spicy as Indian curry and it is usually prepared from a roux (which is what we did in our recipe). Due to the ease of the recipe, the dish quickly became  very popular and it is now a staple—not only in Japan but also a favorite in the United Kingdom too.

Japanese Katsu with Fried Chicken and Mild Curry Sauce

Ingredients

For the sauce:

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 yellow or white onion
• 2 cloves of grated garlic
• thumb-sized piece ginger, grated
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 can/400 ml coconut milk
• 1/2 cup frozen peas

For the chicken Katsu:

• 4 chicken breast fillets
• 2 tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 cup vegetable oil, for frying
• 1 cup uncooked basmati rice

Procedure

1. Add the vegetable oil to a pot and cook the onions on medium heat until brown and caramelized.
2. Add the grated ginger and garlic and cook for another minute; add the curry powder and cook for another 30 seconds or until they release the flavor; add the tomato paste, stir, and cook for another 1-2 minutes; add the coconut milk together with 1 can of water and mix well;.
3. Stir in salt to taste and allow to simmer on medium heat for 25 minutes; when the sauce is almost done, add the frozen peas in and cook for another 5-10 minutes or until the peas are cooked.
4. Wash the rice thoroughly until the water runs clear; add 2 cups of water and a pinch of salt and bring to a boil; when it starts boiling, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 12 minutes; fluff with a fork, cover again, and allow to steam further.
5. Meanwhile, season the chicken breast fillets with salt and pepper and set aside.
6. Add the flour to a plate and set aside.
7. Beat the eggs with a pinch of salt in a shallow plate and set aside.
8. Add the breadcrumbs to another shallow plate and set aside.
9. Preheat the oil in the frying pan; coat the chicken breast in flour, then dip it into the egg mixture, followed by the breadcrumbs; shake off any excess and fry in oil over medium heat for 3-4 min/side or until deep golden brown in color; place the chicken katsu on paper towels once done, to absorb the excess fat.
10. Cut the katsu into strips and serve next to rice and curry sauce.