Big in Japan: tonkatsu
Emma has booked a one-way ticket to Asia and will see when she comes back to the Netherlands. For FavorFlav, she queues for hours for local favorites. She kicks off with tonkatsu in Tokyo.
In the photo you can see tonkatsu, and it’s the most delicious thing I’ve eaten in all of Japan. It seems so simple: pork tenderloin coated in Japanese breadcrumbs (panko) and then deep-fried, but it tastes like a true masterpiece. The meat has an incredible amount of flavor and is as tender as butter. I ate this tonkatsu at Marugo in Akihabara (the anime district in Tokyo, definitely worth a visit), where the owner has been perfecting the art of tonkatsu for forty years.
Japanese Worcestershire sauce
Alongside some finely shredded cabbage, tonkatsu sauce is also provided. This dark, syrupy sauce is also known as Japanese Worcestershire sauce. It is a mixture of fruit, vegetables and a whole range of spices. It is sweet, sour and savory at the same time. But honestly, you don’t need the sauce at all with this dish. I like the tonkatsu best with a little salt and a squeeze of lemon, that’s it.
Want to make it yourself? Our colleagues at Bon Appétit have a nice recipe. Above all, don’t fry the meat for too long, or it will become dry. And it’s precisely that juicy interior with a crispy exterior that makes it so special.
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