When thinking about Japanese food, steak and pork cutlet might not be the first thing that comes to your mind. Of course, there is the really pricey Kobe beef but it might surprise that there is a really popular cutlet dish that kind of reminds of a German or Austrian pork cutlet. This article will be about Tonkatsu (とんかつ).

Tonkatsu is a Japanese dish which consists of a breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet. There are two main types, fillet and loin. It is often served with shredded cabbage. Tonkatsu originated in Japan in the 19th century. As well as being served as a single dish, it is also used as a sandwich filling or in combination with curry.

For preparation, either a pork fillet or pork loin cut may be used; the meat is usually salted, peppered, dredged lightly in flour, dipped into beaten egg and then coated with bread crumbs before being deep fried. Tonkatsu is generally served with shredded cabbage. It is most commonly eaten with a type of thick sauce, mustard and perhaps a slice of lemon. It is usually served with rice, miso soup and eaten with chopsticks. It may also be served with ponzu instead of tonkatsu sauce.

Tonkatsu is also popular as a sandwich filling or served on Japanese curry. Tonkatsu is sometimes served with egg on a big bowl of rice as Katsudon.
We highly recommend Tonkatsu, it’s fairly cheap and a delicious dish in the cold season!