Tonkatsu (Korean-Style Pork Cutlet, 돈가스)
When I first arrived in Germany, I was pleasantly surprised by Schnitzel. Tonkatsu is actually a dish that originated in Japan and was later introduced to Korea. I can't help but wonder if Japanese tonkatsu was inspired by German schnitzel—food across the world seems to share so many similarities. It's fascinating how cultures influence each other through cuisine.
Korean-style tonkatsu is a bit different from the Japanese version. While Japanese tonkatsu features a thick pork loin that hasn’t been pounded, Korean-style is more like schnitzel, with the meat being pounded thin. If you do not pound the meat flat, it would be considered the Japanese-style tonkatsu! Today, I’ll introduce you to the Korean-style "Gyeongyangsik Tonkatsu," which is very similar to schnitzel.
Instructions
Prepare the pork:
Choose pork loin instead of tenderloin for this recipe. Slice the pork into appropriate portions and pound them flat with a meat tenderizer (similar to how schnitzel is prepared). Season both sides with salt and pepper.
Coat the pork:
Dredge each pork slice first in flour, then dip in the beaten eggs, and finally coat it in breadcrumbs.
Fry the tonkatsu:
Pour enough oil into a frying pan for shallow frying. Fry each piece of tonkatsu once until golden brown, then remove and let it rest.
To achieve a crispier result, double-fry each piece by frying it again after the first round.
Your tonkatsu is now ready! The crispy texture and the tender meat inside make it absolutely delicious. But what about the tonkatsu sauce? Typically, in Korea and Japan, tonkatsu is served with a sauce containing Worcestershire sauce. If you can find Japanese tonkatsu sauce, that's ideal. If not, don’t worry—I'll introduce a sauce recipe in another post. 😊