Recipe Notes:

• I used boneless chicken thigh for the cutlet in this recipe. You could use any parts of the chicken that you prefer. A typical Japanese Katsu recipe uses chicken breast, sliced into thin pieces and then coated with eggs and breadcrumbs before deep fried in hot oil.

• I used Japanese curry powder in this recipe. You could substitute this with other types of curry powder.

• Making your own curry paste allows you to adjust certain ingredients to suit your own taste. Alternatively, ready-made Japanese curry paste can be use. These can be found in most Asian grocery store.

• I used red skin baby potatoes in this recipe. You could use any type of potatoes that you prefer.

• Apple and honey is added to give fruity and sweet flavor.

• I used tomato paste in this recipe. You could substitute this with tomato sauce or fresh tomatoes.

• I used Sriracha chili sauce in this recipe. You could use any types of chili sauce that you prefer.

• I used ½ tsp ground red chili in this recipe. Increase or decrease the amount base on your heat tolerance.

• I used garlic powder in this recipe. You could use fresh garlic if you prefer.

• I used a fan forced oven set to 180°C to bake the breaded chicken thigh for 35 mins or until it is golden and cooked through. Conventional oven temperature would be 200°C. A typical Japanese Katsu (or Cutlet) is usually deep fried in hot oil.

INGREDIENTS FOR JAPANESE KATSU CURRY - CUTLET

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(Serves 4 peoples)

✅️ 4 Chicken Thigh, boneless

✅️ 1 Cup Butter Milk

✅️ ½ Tsp Salt

✅️ 1 Tbsp Garlic Powder

✅️ 1 Tsp Red Chili Sauce

✅️ 1 Tsp Curry Powder

✅️ 2 Cups Breadcrumbs

✅️ 100 Gm Butter, melted

✅️ 2 Tsp Ground Black Pepper

INGREDIENTS FOR JAPANESE KATSU CURRY - GRAVY

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✅️ 3 Cups Plain Water

✅️ 1½ Tbsp Curry Powder

✅️ 1 Tbsp Garam Masala

✅️ ½ Apple, grated

✅️ 2 Tbsp Honey

✅️ ½ Tsp Ground Red Chili

✅️ 1½ Tbsp Tomato Paste

✅️ 3 Tbsp Worcester Sauce

✅️ 1½ Tbsp Soy Sauce

✅️ 1½ Tbsp Full-cream Milk

✅️ 100 Gm Butter + extra 20 Gm Butter

✅️ 2 Bulbs Shallots, finely minced

✅️ 5 Cloves Garlic, finely minced

✅️ 3 Tbsp Plain Flour

✅️ 1 Bulb Brown Onions, chopped

✅️ 1 Carrot, chopped

✅️ 5 Baby Potatoes

METHOD OF PREPARATION:

1. To prepare the chicken cutlet:

Marinate the chicken thigh with buttermilk, salt, garlic powder, red chili sauce and curry powder for 12hrs in the refrigerator, best overnight. After 12hrs (or the next day), remove the chicken from the refrigerator and set it aside to return to room temp. Mixed breadcrumbs with melted butter and ground black pepper. Place the marinated chicken in the breadcrumbs mixture and coat each of the chicken pieces with breadcrumbs generously. Transfer the coated chicken to the grill pan and bake them in the preheated fan forced oven set to 180°C for 35mins or until the chicken is golden and cooked through.

2. To prepare the curry roux:

Mix the curry powder, garam masala, ground chili, tomato paste, Worcester sauce, soy sauce and milk in a cup. Melt the butter in a pot over LOW heat. Stir fry the minced shallots for 1min before adding minced garlic and then continue to stir the mixture for another 1min. Add plain flour and stir fry the mixture until it turns brown. Add the prepared curry mixture to the pot. Stir fry the mixture until it is dark brown then transfer this into a bowl and set aside for now.

3. Melt the extra butter using the same pot over LOW heat. Stir fry the chopped carrot for 1min before adding the chopped potatoes and continue to stir fry for 1min. Add the chopped onions and stir fry for another 1min. Add plain water and bring to boil over HIGH heat. Cover the pot with lid and simmer for 10mins over MED heat. After 10 mins add the curry roux prepared earlier to the pot. Stir the mixture until the curry is fully dissolved. Add grated apple and honey and simmer until the gravy reaches desired consistency.

4. After 35mins remove the baked chicken from the oven. Serve this over warm bed of rice with the rich Japanese curry. Garnish with pickled ginger.

RECIPE PHOTO GALLERY