A Tokyo Tokyo Dinner : Tonkatsu and Buttered Vegetables

When I found out the pork I have been keeping in the freezer was not actually pork leg but a kilo of lean meat, I was a bit disappointed. I have been wanting to cook Pata Tim but is still just looking for what I feel is the best recipe. But it was just a few minutes of disappointment actually.... when I saw the meat, I suddenly craved for Tokyo Tokyo's Tonkatsu. Well, actually I was talking about the Tokyo Tokyo in the late 90's, that small shop behind the Greenbelt Mall in Makati City (ok same location but I still mean the old Greenbelt Mall also!).
I think in that cluster of restaurants was also the first Bacolod Chicken and there was also a Mushroom Burger if I remember correctly. This is between the Mall and the the McDonald's. That was the Tonkatsu I was referring to not the commercially produced now at Tokyo Tokyo fast food outlets around the Philippines. I observed that (aside from the unlimited rice offer) the portions and quality of the food served by Tokyo Tokyo had deteriorated. Yes, the fastfood chain had become more accessible, but I just couldn't appreciate the food that they serve anymore. 
See, apart from the pork cutlets, I also want to recreate the tonkatsu sauce and the vegetable siding of bean sprouts and cabbage. I knew that the veggies are somehow stir fried on what looks like soy sauce, but I remember the little sauce that it had, was not as dark as ordinary soy sauce... and so I tried using light soy sauce and seasoning and buttered the vegetables before removing from the pan. 
For the sauce... I remember it was sweet with a bit of sour and "malapot", but I don't think "thick" is a fitting translation for "malapot" in that sense.... but for lack of a better word, i'll use thick anyway. 
It took me a few weeks before I was actually able to put this Tonkatsu dream into reality. First roadblock is the Panko or Japanese bread crumbs. I mean, I want Tonkatsu not just ordinary breaded pork which would be the end product if I use ordinary bread crumbs. Guess I prayed hard enough that on my what... 5th visit to Megamart, finally the Panko is on the shelves! Immediately I took two packets. I would have wanted to take more, but hey! hoarding is bad :) ---- I didn't expect it to be so cheap, being so hard to find! One brand of about 400gms costs  only QR3.50 (almost a dollar) and the other bigger packet about 480gms of a different brand was I think about QR5.00 (or almost $1.5). Of course this is the first time I'm buying panko so I really don't know if the price is really a bargain. I'm just too happy I found them! 

Tonkatsu
Ingredients:
1 kg pork (lean meat), sliced 1/2in thick
2 eggs, beaten
salt and pepper
1 cup cooking oil, 2 portions
Method:
Prepare the pork by slicing them into cutlets and removing any fats attached to the meat. Season with salt and pepper.
In two separate bowls, put the eggs and the panko. 
Heat the first half of the cooking oil in a frying pan.
Dip the pork first into the egg and then coat with panko. Ensure that all parts of the pork had been evenly coated. 
Slowly lay the coated pork on the heated oil. Cook until the underside is brown and crisp. Watch not to overcook then very carefully flip to cook the other side. 
When the pork had been fully cooked and browned, remove from heat and transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to drain excess oils.
Fry the rest of the coated pork in batches, not crowding the pan. 
Check if the oil had turned too dark with some burned panko and replace with new oil.
Transfer into a serving plate with the sauce and buttered vegetable siding. Serve with hot rice. Enjoy!


Tonkatsu Sauce
Ingredients:
1/3 cup tomato ketchup
1/3 cup light soy sauce
2 tbs worcestershire sauce
1 tbs ginger paste

dash of pepper

Method:
Mix all ingredients in a sauce pan. Turn on the heat and let simmer for about 5 minutes.
Pour over Tonkatsu or serve separately.


Buttered Vegetables
Ingredients:
100gms bean sprouts
200gms cabbage (or 1/4 head), sliced thinly
1 big carrot, sliced thinly
1 white onion, sliced thinly
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2 tbs sesame oil
1 tbs light soy sauce
1 tbs Knorr/ Maggi seasoning
2 tbs butter
Method:
Heat sesame oil in a wok. Toss in the garlic and cook lightly for about a minute. Toss the rest of the vegetables. Stir fry for a minute and then pour in the soy sauce and seasoning.
After about 2 minutes add the butter and continue stirring until butter is fully melted. Turn off the heat.
Serve as a siding to the Tonkatsu. Enjoy!