Katsudon is a Japanese rice bowl topped with breaded pork cutlet simmered in a savoury dashi-based broth with egg and onion. The key is steaming the tonkatsu with beaten egg just long enough for it to set while the breading absorbs the liquid into a silky, sticky layer.
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Make the cheat's dashi by combining 1½ cups water and 1½ tsp fish sauce together. Of course, you could use actual dashi or any other stock.
Mix in the soy sauce, sake and mirin to create your seasoning liquid.
In a frying pan around the same diameter as your serving bowl, combine half the seasoning liquid, 1 tsp of sugar, and half the onion. Simmer until the onion softens, then place the sliced tonkatsu on top.
Pour over half of the beaten egg and cover with a lid. Steam for just a minute or two until the egg begins to set.
While the tonkatsu is steaming, place half of the rice into your serving bowl and flatten the top, leaving around 3cm at the top of the bowl for the katsu.
When the egg is barely set, slide the entire contents of the pan on top of the rice. Garnish with mitsuba and sprinkle over a little shichimi tougarashi to serve.
Repeat steps 3–6 for the second serving using the remaining ingredients.
Katsudon is best served immediately after assembly. Leftover tonkatsu can be refrigerated separately and reheated gently; remake with fresh rice and egg when ready to serve.
Yes. The recipe notes you can use actual dashi or any other stock in place of the water and fish sauce mixture.
Steam for just a minute or two until the egg begins to set. It should still be barely set when you slide the contents onto rice.
Yes, but you would need to cook chicken cutlets first (tonkatsu uses pre-cooked pork). Follow the same simmering and egg-steaming steps.
Watercress works as stated in the recipe, or you can omit the garnish. Any mild green vegetable or herb will work.
No. The recipe is designed for one serving at a time in a frying pan that matches your bowl diameter. Repeat steps 3–6 for the second serving.
