Katsudon (カツ丼) is short for "
tonkatsu donburi" (豚カツ丼),
which means "
pig cutlet bowl". And that's what it is,
a deep-fried cutlet of
pork (
tonkatsu) on a bowl of rice, but with some
egg and onion on top to give some flavor to the rice. Not exactly
health food,
katsudon is probably popular precisely because
it has the caloric content to keep you going. Here's a
guide to assembling your own (4 servings):
- Cook some rice.
- Fry up some tonkatsu.
- Halve and slice a small onion, and cook the slices in a frying pan
until translucent and soft.
- Add 2.5 cups of dashi, 7 tbsp mirin,
and 5 tbsp soy sauce. Bring to a simmer.
- Beat 6 eggs and pour them on top. Stir a little when the
egg starts to set. Remove from heat before the eggs are fully done,
you want the mixture to be runny and juicy!
- Place a portion of rice in a bowl, add a sliced cutlet, cover
with egg-and-onion mix. Repeat for each portion.
Dig in! Japanese manage the feat with
chopsticks, but you may
find using a spoon easier.
See also I-wish-I-was Katsudon (Breaded Tofu Cutlet) for a
mutated vegetarian variant.