I remember back when I was a fussy teenager and all my friends were eating at Wagamama's and I was like "eew, no, I don't really like that kind of food" Shocker, I know, but that was 14 year old me. A whole flavour-journey later, my fiance took me on one of our first dates to Wagamama and I had to confess I had never eaten a Katsu Curry before. I was 22!! By this point, I was in love with most foods, but as a lowly student I was scared to spend what little money I had in a restaurant if I wasn't sure I would like the food or not. One taste later, however, and I never looked back. Katsu has to be one of the most comforting dishes I know from Asia. Katsu Sandos topping that due to my Northern love of putting anything between two slices of white bread!
So here's a recipe for you to make your very own Katsu Fake-away.
I wrote this recipe with Healthy Living Ellie, who is a coeliac. If you aren't gluten free, in all the places where you see Gluten Free flour, replace it with plain flour. We made Gluten Free breadcrumbs by blitzing up GF Cornflakes, but you should use Panko otherwise. However, following this recipe below, I can 100% say that it tasted delicious using the cornflakes and cornflour.
Chicken Katsu Curry
Serves 2
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 30min
Special equipment needed:
Blender (if making Gluten Free!)
Deep fat fryer or a deep frying pan to shallow fry
Stick blender or sieve
Ingredients
2-3 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 Onion, finely diced
1 Garlic Clove, crushed
2.5cm piece of Ginger, peeled and grated
1 tsp Turmeric
3 tbsp of mild Curry Powder (use medium if you like a little kick!)
1 tbsp GF Flour
300ml Chicken Stock
200ml Coconut Milk
1 tsp Light Soy Sauce
1 tsp Sugar
140g rice
2 Chicken Breasts, butterflied
50g GF Flour
2 Eggs, beaten
100g GF Cornflakes, blended into breadcrumbs
40g Mixed Salad Leaves
Serve sliced on top of sticky rice with a side salad and drenched in katsu sauce
Method:
Make the sauce by sweating down the onion, ginger and garlic in a drizzle of oil in a small saucepan
Next add the spices & flour and allow to cook for 2-3 mins
Add the chicken stock, soy sauce, sugar & coconut milk and simmer gently to reduce. You can allow the sauce to reduce and thicken the whole time you make the rest of the dish, or prepare this ahead and use it later
When the sauce has thickened, blend it or pass it through a sieve to achieve a smooth and velvety consistency. You can make the sauce whilst you cook the rest of the dish, or you prepare this ahead of time in a big batch to use for later
Taste the sauce and decide if you would like to alter the flavour. You may wish to add more sugar, soy sauce or even coconut milk depending on whether you like your sauce sweet, salty or creamy (which may all depend on how you’re feeling on the day!)
Now make the rest of the dish: cook the rice by washing thoroughly then placing into 280ml of cold water, bringing this up to the boil and simmering until all the water has evaporated. Then remove it from the heat and leave with the lid on whilst you finish the rest of the dish
Meanwhile, butterfly your chicken by placing your hand flat on top of the chicken breast and cutting across the breast at an angle so it opens up like a book.
Coat each of the chicken breasts in flour
Dip each chicken breast in the eggs and then the breadcrumbs
Fry the chicken in a frying pan using about 100ml of oil or use a deep fat fryer. Either way, cook the chicken until it is nice and golden on both sides
Check the chicken is cooked through by slicing through the thickest part and ensuring there is no pink
Serve by placing some salad leaves and a heaped spoonful on rice into a bowl and topping with the chicken breast. Finish by drenching in the katsu sauce
WOW! A perfect-at home treat for when you can't make it to the restaurant!
and remember, anyone can cook!
All photos taken by the wonderful Healthy Living Ellie.
