Katsu Curry is total comfort food with a Japanese twist. Crispy fried chicken or pork cutlet with a rich flavorful gravy, all atop a bed of rice. It can’t get much better than that!
The combination of flavors and textures are just perfect in this dish, which is also known as Katsukarē.
Cook up a big batch to feed a crowd, everyone is gonna want seconds!
We love all types of curries here at GypsyPlate. From fiery Indian Vindaloo to slightly sweet South African Curry to boldly flavorful Jamaican Curry, there’s a whole world of curry varieties out there.
Japanese Katsu Curry is one of the most unique, combining curry with a crispy fried cutlet.
On our recent trip to England, we discovered that it was one of the mainstays on their menus. Having tried it a few times in restaurants there, we decided we just had to present it to you.
What is Katsu Curry?
Katsu Curry is a pairing of Japanese Curry with Tonkatsu, a panko fried pork cutlet. Chicken is sometimes used in place of pork.
Sometimes, the curry takes the form of a simple sauce, made with pre-made curry roux. Other times, the curry has additions like vegetables, which we are using today. It can even have meat in the curry. You can try pairing the katsu with our Japanese Beef Curry.
It is said to have been invented in a restaurant in 1948, when a patron complained that it was too much of a bother to eat katsu and curry separately.
Since then is has spread, and is now one of the most popular dishes in the country. Many Japanese fast food restaurants specialize in the dish.
Katsu Curry Ingredients
Katsu
- Pork – Loin, tenderloin or boneless pork chops. Alternately, chicken filets can be used.
- Flour
- Eggs
- Panko
Curry
- Curry roux – S&B Golden Curry Hot mix is our favorite. You can find curry roux in the Asian section of most supermarkets.
- Aromatics – Garlic & ginger.
- Sauces – Soy sauce, ketchup, worcestershire sauce, apricot jam or preserves.
- Veggies – Onions, carrots and potatoes. They’re totally optional, but we feel they round our the meal.
How to Make Katsu Curry
Katsu
Slice pork to about 3/4 inch thick, then pound flat with a meat mallet to about 1/2 inch.
TIP: We recommend placing the pork cutlets, one at a time, in a ziploc bag to beat them. This helps avoid splattering.
Gather three separate, shallow bowls. Fill one with flour, one with whisked eggs, and one with panko.
Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat. You want the oil around 350 degrees. If you have an electric skillet, that works perfectly. If not, you can use a meat thermometer to check the temperature of the oil.
Season the pork with salt, then dredge in flour, then egg, then panko. Fry until golden brown, about 8-10 minutes, turning every few minutes. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
Curry
Heat oil in a soup pot or dutch oven over medium high heat. Add onion and sauté till it is a nice golden brown. Add in chopped garlic and ginger, and sauté for a couple of minutes.
Stir in potato and carrot chunks. Give it all a good mix.
Add in 3.5 cups of water. Bring to a simmer and cook till the carrots and potatoes are soft to your liking.
Stir in the curry roux, ketchup, worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and apricot preserve. Once the curry cubes have dissolved, cook 10 more minutes.
How to Serve Katsu Curry
The typical serving of katsu curry has a fried cutlet atop a bed of rice, along with the curry.
Interestingly, we discovered that in the UK it is also sometimes served with fries. Give it a try, and see which way you like best!
Storage and Leftovers
Japanese curry can be refrigerated for 3-4 days, stored in an air tight container. It tastes even better, as all the flavors have time to mingle with each other.
We recommend cooking the katsu fresh, so it retains its crunch.
Give Katsu Curry a try in your kitchen, and find our for yourself why it is such a huge hit in Japan. Pairing something fried with a savory gravy is always a winning combination, and this delicacy from the far east is no exception.
Katsu Curry, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!
Try these other great curry recipes!
Thai Green Curry
Chicken Masala
Trini Chicken Curry
Beef Kheema
Palak Paneer
Caribbean Mussel Curry
Country Captain
Katsu Curry
Katsu Curry is total Japanese comfort food, featuring a breaded pork cutlet along with a savory curry, all atop a bed of rice. It's so good!
Ingredients
Curry
- 1.5 Tbsp cooking oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely diced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely diced
- 2 large carrots, chopped
- 1 large potato, cubed
- 3.5 cups water
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tbsp apricot preserve
- 1 Tbsp ketchup
- 3.2oz curry roux
Tonkatsu
- 4 boneless pork loin chops, pounded about 1/2 inch, thick
- 1/2 cup flour
- 2 eggs, whisked
- 2 cups panko
For serving
- 4 cups cooked white rice
Instructions
Katsu
- Slice pork to about 1 inch thick, then pound flat with a meat mallet to about 1/2 inch. I recommend placing them, one at a time, in a ziploc bag to beat them. This helps avoid splattering.
- Prepare the dredging ingredients. Gather three separate, shallow bowls. Fill one with flour, one with whisked eggs, and one with panko.
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat. You want the oil around 350 degrees. If you have an electric skillet, that works perfectly. If not, you can use a meat thermometer to check the temperature of the oil.
- Season the pork with salt, then dredge in flour, then egg, then panko. Fry until golden brown, about 8-10 minutes, turning every few minutes. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
Curry
- Heat oil in a soup pot or dutch oven over medium high heat. Add onion and sauté till it is a nice golden brown. Add in chopped garlic and ginger, and sauté for a couple of minutes.
- Stir in potato and carrot chunks. Give it all a good mix.
- Add in 3.5 cups of water. Bring to a simmer and cook till the carrots and potatoes are soft to your liking.
- Stir in the curry roux, ketchup, worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and apricot preserve. Once the curry cubes have dissolved, cook 10 more minutes.
To Serve
- Place a cup of cooked rice in the bottom of a bowl.
- Top the rice with a pork cutlet, along with curry.
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