Katsudon

One summer a few years ago, my friend Shin Nakahara took me to a tiny basement restaurant in Tokyo. It was barely visible from the street, just a few blocks from the famous Shibuya Crossing, a cramped space that could seat no more than ten people shoulder to shoulder. They had one item on the menu: katsudon. Two cooks worked together, one frying tonkatsu and slicing it, the other simmering the tonkatsu with seasoned dashi, onion, and a glossy coating of barely cooked egg. It came served over rice with a side of miso soup and pickles. I’ve written before about how Japan excels at the one-dish restaurant, and this was one of the best examples. Their katsudon always comes to mind when I make this dish. When made properly, the pork is perfectly cooked, and the crunch of the panko is mostly, but not totally, softened by the simmering. The egg and seasoned dashi combine to form a loose custard on the bottom, but the egg yolk on the top remains bright orange and jammy. 

Katsudon are typically made in individual portions. I’ve scaled up the recipe to serve four and cook it in a larger pan. If mitsuba is not available, substitute one scallion, adding it as a garnish at the end.

This recipe was excerpted from ‘Rintaro' by Sylvan Mishima Brackett. Buy the full book on Amazon.