Katsu Sando

Ingredients

• •2 boneless pork loin cutlets (about 5-6 oz / 150g each), pounded to even 1/2-inch thickness
• •Salt and black pepper
• •1/4 cup flour
• •1 egg, beaten
• •1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• •Neutral oil, for frying (about 1 inch deep)
• •4 slices shokupan (Japanese milk bread), a day old if possible
• •2 tbsp butter, softened
• •1/4 cup tonkatsu sauce
• •1/2 cup very thinly shredded cabbage

Steps

1. 1.Pound the pork cutlets to an even 1/2-inch thickness and season both sides with salt and pepper.
2. 2.Dredge each cutlet in flour, then beaten egg, then panko, pressing the panko on gently rather than packing it tight, for a light crust that stays crisp instead of dense.
3. 3.Heat oil to 340-350F (170-175C) in a deep skillet and fry the cutlets 3-4 minutes per side until deep golden brown and cooked through, then rest on a wire rack for a few minutes.
4. 4.Butter both sides of each slice of shokupan all the way to the edges - this thin fat barrier is what keeps the bread from turning soggy once the katsu and sauce go on.
5. 5.Brush the fried cutlets with tonkatsu sauce, then layer the shredded cabbage and the cutlet between two slices of buttered bread.
6. 6.Wrap each sandwich tightly in plastic wrap and set a light, flat weight on top for a few minutes - the standard technique for compressing the sandwich so it holds together and slices cleanly.
7. 7.Trim the crusts off with a sharp serrated knife and cut each sandwich in half.