To serve, pour curry on the side next to the cutlet away from the steamed rice. Garnish it with fukujinzukeif you wish. This simplified method of preparing curry was introduced to Japan by British military personnel during the Meji period (1868–1912). It later became known as karē.

Fukujinzuke is the condiment to go with Japanese curry. I included it in today’s Meal Idea as you can make it at home, even if the recipe includes fukujinzuke. Once boiling, pop a lid on the pan and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 10 minutes with the lid on.

Coconut milk: I use full fat coconut milk for the best emulsification into a smooth and glossy sauce.

They provide a curated selection of products from the highest quality producers in Japan, and seek to maintain the rice’s quality from transport through milling. (The rice is actually milled here in the U.S., because quality and taste begin to deteriorate after the rice has been milled.) Light soy sauce: A salty, umami flavour. If you prefer a darker, richer colour, use dark soy sauce. You may need to add more salt if using dark soy sauce as it typically contains less sodium than light soy sauce. Katsu curry sauce freezes well, as do the breaded cutlets. Place in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost the sauce at room temperature and heat through before serving.To make the katsu dressing, add the 1 tablespoon each of white miso and rice vinegar to the reserved marinade, along with ½ a teaspoon of curry powder and 2 tablespoons of mango chutney. Stir in 50ml of water to loosen and mix well. It’s well-balanced, with a great blend of sweetness, spice, and umami. It’s also pretty handy to keep in the cupboard for rustling up curry whenever you feel like it. Apparently, the name ‘Vermont’ came from the state of Vermont in the USA, which was known for folk medicine with apple cider vinegar and honey. At the time of the first TV commercial, this folk medicine was well known and popular, so House Foods just borrowed the name ‘Vermont’. Katsu curries have a reputation for being hearty, calorific meals, historically consumed by Japanese sportspeople before games. This is not only down to needing energy, but also superstition, believing in the auspicious homophony between the words, ‘katsu’ (to win) and ‘katsu’ (cutlet) which might bring them. When reheating the curry in your microwave, stir from time to time. The outer part of the curry gets heated and even starts bubbling but often the centre is still frozen. You need to mix the hot and cold to speed up the process of defrosting and heating.

Add a splash of oil to a saucepan set over a medium heat. Add the rice to a saucepan with a pinch of salt. Stir to coat the grains of rice in oil.Generously coat the pork chop in the batter and then in panko. Make sure to pat it so every part of the pork chop is coated in panko. Pre-heat the air fryer to 160°C/320°F. Spray the slices generously with oil on both sides. Arrange the slices in the basket of the air fryer. Air fry at 160°C/320°F for 12-15 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs have browned and the sweet potatoes and aubergines have cooked through. Turn halfway through the cooking time and re-spray with oil if you would like the outside to be crispier. Note that the cutlets will not have the same even browning as they would if you were to fry them. For the best experience we recommend reheating everything separately and then assembling just before serving. You can buy Japanese curry roux at Japanese/Asian grocery stores as well as most supermarkets. What’s in My Katsu Curry Air fry at 160°C/320°F for 12-15 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs have browned and the sweet potatoes and aubergines have cooked through.