Pork Tonkatsu With Watermelon Tomato Salad Recipes

PORK TONKATSU

Steps:

• Slash the fat rimming one side of the loin cutlet to keep the meat from curling when deepfried. Pound to flatten to about 1/4 inch. Salt and pepper both sides of each cutlet. Dredge each in flour, then dip into beaten eggs and press into bread crumbs to coat both sides.
• Heat a large skillet with about 1/2 inch of oil until hot. Lay 1 or 2 cutlets in the hot oil. Deep-fry until golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes, turning them once or twice. Drain the cutlets on paper towels and cut the pork into bite-size strips that can be eaten with chopsticks.
• Arrange the pork on a platter lined with the shredded cabbage, and garnish with lemon wedges. Serve the sauce on the side for dipping, or pour it over the pork and cabbage.
• Prepare the recipe for Pork Tonkatsu, using 4 turkey cutlets, each about 1/2inch thick, in place of the pork loin.

PORK TONKATSU WITH WATERMELON-TOMATO SALAD

Steps:

• Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk olive oil, 1 tablespoon mustard, and juice in a small bowl. Season dressing with salt and pepper. Set salad and dressing aside.
• Whisk eggs and 1 tablespoon mustard in a medium bowl. Combine panko, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper on a large plate. Season pork lightly with salt and pepper. Dip in egg mixture, then in panko, pressing to adhere.
• Working in 2 batches, heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and cook pork until golden brown and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side, adding 1 tablespoon vegetable oil after turning. Drain on paper towels.
• Toss salad with dressing; season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve pork with salad and lemon wedges for squeezing over.

TONKATSU-STYLE BUTTERFLIED PORK CHOPS WITH WATERCRESS SALAD

Steps:

• Butterfly the chops: Lay them flat on a cutting board and, holding your knife parallel to the board, cut through the meat along the side of each chop until you reach the bone. This cut should evenly divide the meat of each chop into 2 equal flaps, which remain attached to the bone. Spread each chop out in the shape of a butterfly.
• Place the chops between sheets of wax paper, and pound each flap with a mallet or the side or back of a heavy cleaver. Pound until each flap is an even 1/4-inch thick.
• Mix together the 1/4 cup rice-wine vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and a few drops of Japanese sesame oil. Place the pounded pork chops in a wide, shallow dish and pour the marinade over them. Marinate in the refrigerator, turning occasionally, for 2 hours.
• When ready to cook, heat the peanut oil in a wok, deep-fryer, or deep, wide pot to 365 degrees.
• While the oil is heating, remove pork chops from the marinade and shake off liquid. Dredge chops in flour, making sure to cover all spots of the meat and bone. Then dip the chops in the beaten egg, and let the excess egg drip off. Finally, dip the chops in the panko crumbs, making sure to cover the entire meat and bone.
• When the oil is hot, add the pork chops (if your frying vessel is not large enough, you should do this in 2 batches). Deep-fry until chops are golden brown on the outside, just cooked through on the inside, 3 to 4 minutes altogether. Remove and drain on paper towels.
• While the pork chops are cooking, make the watercress salad: Toss together the watercress, tomato, scallion, bean sprouts, rice-wine vinegar and sesame oil. (Make sure the salad has a light taste of the sesame oil; if not, add a little more.) Season with salt.
• Place each chop on a large dinner plate and season with coarse salt. Strew each chop with the watercress salad and serve immediately.
• *panko crumbs are Japanese bread crumbs -- light, airy, remarkably crisp. They are available at Japanese groceries.

PORK AND WATERMELON SALAD

Steps:

• Crosshatch pork belly skin with sharp knife, making cuts 1/2-inch apart. Place pork belly in non-reactive dish. Combine kecap manis, vinegar, soy sauce, fish sauce and lime juice, and pour over pork belly. Chill for 24 to 48 hours, turning several times.
• Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Place belly, skin side up, in baking pan with 2 cups marinating liquid and 2 cups water. Liquid should come halfway up the pork; if not, add more water or use smaller pan. Cover pan with foil. Bake until a skewer penetrates the belly with little or no resistance, 3 to 4 hours. Remove pork from liquid and let cool. Leaving skin on, slice belly into 1-inch chunks.
• To make salad, cut watermelon flesh into 1-inch cubes (discarding seeds). Reserve rind. Refrigerate flesh until ready to use. With sharp knife, remove outer green skin of rind, reserving white part. Dice white rind into 1/2-inch cubes. Transfer to a heatproof bowl.
• In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine rice wine vinegar, shallots, chilies, kaffir lime, ginger, palm sugar, salt and 1 cup water, and bring to boil. Cook until sugar dissolves. Strain liquid over white rind. Let cool, then chill for at least 1 hour or as long as 2 days.
• To make dressing, roughly crush palm sugar using a mortar and pestle or place in a plastic bag and crush with a hammer or heavy can. In a food processor, combine sugar with vinegar, lime juice, ginger, cilantro, garlic and salt, and blend until smooth.
• In medium saucepan or wok, heat 3 inches canola or peanut oil to 375 degrees. Lightly dust pork belly cubes with flour, shaking off excess. Working in batches, fry pork belly until dark golden brown and crispy, 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Season with salt, if necessary.
• In a mixing bowl, toss the watermelon flesh with just enough dressing to coat. Divide pork among serving plates, and top with watermelon flesh and a few cubes of pickled rind. Drizzle additional dressing around plate. Garnish with scallions, coriander leaves, basil, and sesame seeds, if using.

WATERMELON AND TOMATO SALAD

Steps:

• Place the tomatoes and watermelon into a mixing bowl. Sprinkle with the basil, feta cheese, and lemon zest. Drizzle with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Toss gently. Season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.