Recipe: Pork Cutlet Tonkatsu Sushi

the appetizer:

The Sushi Lover's Cookbook: Easy-to-Prepare Sushi for Every Occasion by Yumi Umemura, includes Japanese recipes like Basic Sushi Rice; Ceviche Sushi Rice; Pork Cutlet Tonkatsu Sushi; and Prosciutto and Roasted Pepper Sushi Rice.

Cookbook

Pork Cutlet Tonkatsu Sushi

Makes 10 pieces
Time: 40 minutes plus
1 hour for rice preparation

There are restaurants in every corner of Japan that specialize exclusively in tonkatsu, or breaded pork cutlets. This ubiquitous Japanese meal actually has Germanic roots, as a pork variation of Wiener schnitzel, a breaded veal dish. Tonkatsu is typically enjoyed with a dark, thick, tangy sauce, with numerous types commercially available. This recipe also includes a tip on whipping up your own Tonkatsu Sauce by combining tomato ketchup and balsamic vinegar.

1 standard quantity Basic Sushi Rice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard with seeds
Salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
8 to 10 fresh lettuce leaves
2 cups (500 ml) vegetable oil for deep-frying
7 oz (200 g) pork fillets, cut into 10 small pieces
1/2 cup (65 g) all-purpose flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup (125 g) breadcrumbs

Tonkatsu Sauce

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons tomato ketchup

1. Prepare Basic Sushi Rice. Add the mustard to the rice and mix well.

2. Boil water in a pan. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of vegetable oil. Blanch the lettuce leaves and then immediately soak them in iced water. Drain the leaves and blot excess water from them with paper towel or tea towel. This process should result in lettuce leaves that are pliable and shiny.

3. Cover a bamboo mat with a sheet of plastic wrap. Arrange half of the lettuce leaves on the mat overlapping each other to cover an area about 6 inches (15 cm) square, a little smaller than a standard sheet of nori.

(To avoid soggy results, be sure there is no excess water on the lettuce.)

4. Arrange half of the rice like a log across the center of the lettuce. Use the mat to roll up the rice inside the lettuce, and tighten it to form a firm roll. (Optionally, you may flatten the sides of the rolled-up mat to give the sushi roll a square-shaped cross-section.) Unroll the mat and remove the plastic wrap. Then, drape the roll with plastic wrap and cut it into 5 slices. Repeat with the remaining rice and lettuce to make a second roll.

5. Arrange the sliced sushi on a platter, with a cut side up. Cover it with a thin, damp cloth to keep it from drying out.

6. Start to warm the 2 cups (500 ml) of oil in a deep pan for deep-frying. Cut the pork fillets into 10 small pieces. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Dredge them in the flour, then the beaten egg and then the breadcrumbs. Deep-fry the small cutlets in 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oil for few minutes until done. Set the meat on a rack or paper towel to allow excess oil to drain.

7. Prepare the Tonkatsu Sauce by mixing together the balsamic vinegar and tomato ketchup in a small bowl. Top each piece of sliced sushi with a petite pork cutlet. Serve with the Tonkatsu Sauce on the side.