From Japan: The irresistible crunch of menchi katsu

It's hard to trace exactly how meat patties made their way to Japan. What is certain is that they are not a Japanese invention. The dish they call menchi katsu belongs to meals known as "yōshoku", which are adaptations from Western culture. In Japan, they are often served with Japanese Worcestershire sauce or tonkatsu sauce and a side of Napa cabbage coleslaw.

Panko breadcrumbs are an essential addition that provides the unique crunchiness of Japanese dishes. Panko not only enhances the flavor of what's inside but also does not absorb too much fat, making the dish lighter.

Japanese breadcrumbs differ from European ones in structure and level of crispiness. They are made only from white wheat bread, ideally without crusts or with very few. The bread is dried in controlled conditions and then ground into large flakes.

In the Land of the Rising Sun, alongside meat patties, pork chops fried in panko breadcrumbs, known as katsudon, are also popular. These chops are fried in deep oil and then simmered with a sauce based on dashi broth. Eggs are added towards the end of cooking. The dish is served with rice, scallions, and onions.

Japanese meat patties are best made from ground pork and beef. In-store, ask to grind pork shoulder and beef or ham or ribeye if you want the patties to be more delicate and less fatty.

Ingredients for the patties:

• 1 pound of ground meat,
• 1 onion,
• 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil,
• 3/4 cup of panko,
• 2 egg yolks,
• 1/4 cup of heavy cream,
• seasonings: a pinch of salt, pepper, half a teaspoon of nutmeg,
• optional: 5-6 soaked shiitake mushrooms, parsley.

Ingredients for the coating:

• 1/2 cup of flour,
• 2 eggs,
• 1/2 cup of panko,
• oil for deep frying.

Instructions:

1. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan and sweat the finely chopped onion. Once it becomes soft and fragrant, set it aside to cool.
2. In a separate bowl, mix the ground meats with the onion. Add ¾ cup of panko, 2 egg yolks, and 1/4 cup of heavy cream. Optionally, add finely chopped soaked shiitake mushrooms and chopped parsley. Knead by hand into a smooth mass.
3. Divide the meat into eight portions. Form eight neat balls in your hands. You can toss them back and forth between your hands a few times to reduce trapped air, which prevents the patties from cracking.
4. In three separate dishes, prepare the ingredients for the coating: flour, beaten eggs, and panko breadcrumbs. Coat the slightly flattened patties in each of these bowls in sequence.
5. Fry the coated patties in a large amount of hot oil. After frying, place them on paper towels to drain excess fat.

You can serve the patties with a sauce made from ketchup mixed with barbecue sauce.