Sweet potato is a pretty standard addition to mushi pan in Japan. Here is how to prepare them so that they’re soft and sweet. If you don’t plan to use sweet potato then you can skip this step.

First, wash the surface of the sweet potato and cut it into small cubes leaving some skin on. Place the cubes in a bowl of water for 5 minutes to remove the excess starch.

After 5 minutes, drain the water and place them in a small saucepan. Sprinkle with sugar and add enough water to just about cover them. Bring to a boil then simmer for 5 minutes or until the liquid has gone.

The sweet potato should be slightly softened (parboiled), but not so much that they’re falling apart. You will also notice that the inside color has changed to yellow. Set aside to cool.

Next, mix the flour, starch, baking powder and a pinch of salt together in a bowl.

Pour the milk into a separate bowl and add the sugar, oil and vanilla essence (or flavoring of choice). Whisk until the sugar has dissolved.

Sift the dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients and whisk until smooth. Add about 3/4 of the sweet potato (or filling of choice), saving some to decorate the tops. Let the mixture rest for while you prepare the steamer.

Fill your steamer with water and heat it on high. Wrap the lid with a clean kitchen towel to prevent water droplets falling on the mushi pan.

If you don’t have a steamer, you can also use a deep frying pan with a lid.

Line heatproof ramekins with cupcake cases. I use small glass containers.

Spoon the batter into the cupcake cases and place the leftover sweet potato cubes on top.

Place the ramekins in the steamer leaving space between each one. Be careful of the steam, wear oven gloves or use tongs to place them in the pot safely.

Also, be careful not to over-crowd the pot as they will expand and stick together. Steam with the lid on high for 12 minutes.

If making multiple flavors, you can prepare the batter while the first batch cooks.

Once cooked, transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool before eating or storing.

Enjoy!

Bring the water to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.

Once it’s boiling, carefully lower the eggs into the water using a slotted spoon and cook for 10-12 minutes, depending on how firm you like them. For traditional tamago sando, 10 minutes is perfect-firm enough to hold its shape but the yolks are still creamy when mashed.

After the eggs have boiled for 10 minutes, transfer them to a bowl of cold water. Let them cool for at least 5 minutes before peeling.

After cooling, gently tap the eggs all over on a hard surface to create microcracks, then peel them under a light stream of cold water. The water helps separate the shell from the egg white. Pat the peeled eggs dry with kitchen paper to remove excess moisture – this seemingly small step is crucial as excess water would make your filling watery instead of creamy.

Place the boiled eggs in a bowl and add a pinch of salt and pepper.

Instead of roughly chopping, use a gentle mashing technique with a flat spatula. The goal is to create small, uniform pieces of egg white while allowing the yolks to become creamy.

Once the egg whites are finely mashed, fold in the Japanese mayonnaise and honey with a gentle lifting motion. Continue mixing for a full 2-3 minutes – this seemingly excessive mixing time is what creates that sticky, cohesive texture that holds together perfectly in the sandwich.

Keep mixing until the mixture becomes sticky and well combined. Once done, make sure to keep the mixture in your fridge until just before you use.

Japanese tamago sando typically uses shokupan-Japanese milk bread that’s lighter, fluffier, and slightly sweeter than standard white bread. If you can’t find shokupan, look for thick-cut white bread with a soft texture and fine crumb.

For the traditional convenience store look, trim the crusts from your bread slices. While optional, this creates the iconic clean edges and soft bite of authentic tamago sando.

A little note: I cut off the crusts for the photo, but leaving the crusts on is totally fine. If you remove the crusts, you can blend them to make homemade panko breadcrumbs.

Apply a thin, even layer of butter on one slice of bread.

On the other slice, spread a bit of karashi (Japanese mustard). It adds a subtle heat that goes well with the richness of the egg and mayo.

Spread your egg mixture evenly onto the buttered slice, creating a slightly mounded center that’ll look nice when you cut it.

Place the mustard-spread slice on top and gently press down to secure the sandwich. Don’t press too firmly, as this could squeeze out the filling or compress the bread too much.

Tamago sando contains a wet filling that can make it difficult to get a clean cut. Here are a few tips to help improve presentation:

• Chill the filling: If you have time, chill the filling for a little while to make it more stable.
• Wrap and chill the whole sandwich: Again, if time permits, you can chill the assembled sandwich for 20 minutes to stabilize the filling and make it easier to cut. If you use this method, make sure to wrap it with plastic wrap to stop the bread from drying out.
• Use a serrated bread knife: This will allow you to cut the sandwich in a sawing motion so that you don’t squash the bread and push the filling out.
• Wipe the knife between each cut: Wipe away any filling on the blade of the knife before you make each cut, this will ensure clean cuts every time!

Measure out the ingredients and allow the butter to soften to room temperature. For best results, the dough should be between 24-25°C (75-78°F). In summer, when the room temperature is hot, it’s recommended to chill the flour and liquid to prevent over-fermentation. In winter, the opposite is true, so warm the water and cream to about human body temperature. Be careful not to overheat, as this will kill the yeast.

Place the dry ingredients in a bowl. I recommend adding the sugar and yeast on one side of the bowl, then the salt on the other. Adding the yeast and salt separately is to avoid killing the yeast.

Make a well in the center, add the liquid ingredients and mix, gradually combining everything into a rough dough.

Transfer the dough to a table. Don’t worry if it sticks to your hands; it will become less sticky as you knead. Slap and fold the dough on the table about 10 times, this strengthens the gluten, reduces the stickiness and cools down the dough. Then wrap the dough around your hand, roll and knead it on the surface to warm it up again.

Repeat these steps for about 30 minutes. Your arms may get tired, but it’s worth it – the more effort you put in, the softer and tastier the bread will be.

Once the dough is shiny, add the softened butter. Stretch out the dough and place the butter in the center.

Pull the edges of the dough to the middle to encase the butter and knead. If the butter sticks to the table, don’t worry; it will work its way into the dough through kneading.

Since gluten is already formed, knead for about 10 minutes to incorporate the butter well.

Place the dough on a table and pull the edges toward the center and pinch them together to make the surface tight. This will help the dough rise. Grease a large bowl with salad oil or butter, place the dough in the bowl, pinched side down, and cover with plastic wrap.

Let it rise in a warm draft-free place (20-25℃ / 68-77℉) for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

When the dough has doubled in size, punch the air out and then weigh it and cut it into two even pieces. (Mine was 700g so I split it roughly into 350g pieces). It’s okay if two pieces don’t weight exactly the same, but they should be close. Use a scraper or knife to cut quickly, taking care not to tear the dough.

Roll each piece into a ball, place it on a table, cover with plastic wrap, and let them rest for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, coat the loaf tin with a thin layer of release oil for easy removal.

Take a piece of rested dough and place it face down on a floured table. Gently press the dough with the whole palm of your hand to release any gas and roll it out until double the width of your bread pan.

Fold two parallel edges of the flattened dough to the middle to form a rectangle. The width of the rectangle should match the width of the bread pan. Pinch the seam to seal.

Roll up the dough lengthways to make a neat roll and pinch the seam to seal. Repeat with the other piece of dough.

Place each roll in the bread pan with the swirls going in opposite directions and the seams facing down. The swirl sides should be facing outwards against the long edges of the pan. Cover with the loaf pan lid and let it rise at room temperature (20-25℃ / 68-77℉) for 1 hour or until risen to fill the pan by 80% (approximately 2-3cm or 1 inch below the rim of the pan).

When the dough has risen to fill 1/3 of the pan, start preheating the oven to 210℃ (410℉). Once it’s fully risen (2-3 cm below the rim), lightly mist the top with water and slide it on the cover of the bread pan. Reduce the oven temperature to 200°C (392°F / Gas Mark 6), then place the pan in the oven and bake for 15 minutes.

Once 15 minutes are up, adjust the oven again, this time lowering the temperature to 140°C (284°F) and bake for a further 15-18 minutes. This is to ensure even baking, however, remember that every oven is different, so use this as a guide.

Remove the lid immediately after baking. Drop the entire pan from a height of approximately 15 cm (6 inches) to release the air. Skipping this step can cause the dough to crack, resulting in an hourglass shape.

While it’s still hot, carefully remove the bread from the pan and cool on a wire rack. Wait until the bread is completely cool before slicing to avoid dry edges.

Start by pouring warm water into a jug and then adding the dry yeast and sugar. Mix well and wait a few minutes for it to become foamy.

I recommend warming the milk slightly too, even if it’s just to room temperature. (Cold milk might hinder the yeast.)

Sift the cake flour and strong flour into a large mixing bowl and add salt and baking powder. Mix well until all the ingredients are evenly distributed.

After the yeast has foamed up, make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour the contents of the jug into the well. Add the milk here too.

Mix together to form a rough dough and tip it out onto a lightly floured surface.

Knead until smooth, place it back into the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. It’s important to keep it covered since moisture in the air can affect the rise.

Leave it in a warm place to rise until it has doubled in size.

Start by finely dicing all of the vegetables. They should be small enough that each ingredient spreads evenly throughout the filling, but big enough that they still have a bit of texture.

Heat a large pan on medium and add a drizzle of sesame oil. Add the vegetables and stir fry for 1-2 minutes.

Next, add soy sauce, oyster sauce, miso paste, black vinegar sake, sugar, honey, salt, pepper and Chinese chicken stock powder and cook until all the liquid has been absorbed into the mixture.

Mix 1 tsp of potato starch (or corn starch) in a separate bowl with 1 tbsp of cold water to make a slurry. Turn off the heat and pour the slurry into the pan. Mix thoroughly until the mixture becomes slightly thickened and glossy.

Transfer the filling to a container and leave it to cool.

Mix the pork mince and lard in a mixing bowl. Once the vegetables are cool to the touch, add them to the bowl and mix until evenly distributed throughout the filling.

Cover with plastic wrap and rest in the fridge until the dough is ready.

Once the dough has doubled in size, knock the air out and roll it into a cylinder.

Cut the cylinder into approximately 60g (about 2oz) pieces. My recipe makes 4, but if you’ve doubled or tripled the recipe, cut it into 8 or 12.

Shape each piece so they’re round, and cover them with plastic wrap or a clean, damp tea towel.

Allow to rest for 15 minutes. This resting time helps loosen the dough so that it’s easier to shape.

Flatten out each piece of dough with your palm, and then use a rolling pin to roll it flat to about 5mm (1/4 inch) thick.

Use the rolling pin to thin out the edges all the way around. Since the top will be gathered, the edges should be thinner to prevent the top from becoming too thick and doughy. In other words, the center should be about 5mm thick, while the edges should only be about 2mm thick.

Take the filling out of the fridge and divide it into equal portions (approx 60g/2oz each). Roll each portion into a rough ball and place it in the center of the dough.

Now, I will warn you that my method of folding is not an authentic way, but it’s so easy that you can’t fail! Even if you’re a beginner, you can get this folding method on the first try!

Start by bringing the top and bottom edges to meet in the middle of the filling and pinch them together. Do the same with the left and right edges.

Then, repeat diagonally with each pair of parallel corners.

To fully ensure the nikuman is sealed, twist the middle point.

This will also move the folds and improve the appearance!

Place each completed nikuman on a small piece of baking paper and then place inside the steaming basket.

Once they’re all complete, add the lid and rest for another 15 minutes.

Once the 15-minute resting time is up, fill a pot with (cold) water and place the steaming basket with the nikuman on top. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, and then once it’s bubbling, turn the heat down to medium and set a timer for 13 minutes.

By starting with cold water, the temperature is brought up gradually, and the dough grows more smoothly. This prevents holes and the nikuman from becoming misshapen.

Once the timer is up, remove the lid immediately (no need to wait!) and enjoy your freshly steamed homemade Japanese nikuman!

Start by washing the strawberries, drying them thoroughly, and cutting off the stems at the top. Each sandwich will have 5 strawberries, so try to pick 5 with a similar shape and size for the best presentation.

Measure the mascarpone cheese into a mixing bowl and add a few drops of vanilla essence. Whisk until smooth. This will be easier to do if you take the mascarpone out of the fridge in advance (I recommend about 20 minutes) to let it soften to room temperature.

On the other hand, the heavy cream should be kept chilled and used straight from the fridge for successful whipping.

Pour the cream into a bowl and whip it with the light brown sugar until stiff peaks form. Be careful to check the thickness regularly to avoid over whipping, over-whipped cream will become grainy and start to separate.

Stiff peaks will point upwards without drooping over.

Transfer the whipped cream to the bowl of mascarpone and mix gently with a spatula to combine.

Take your bread slices and remove the crusts.

Coat one piece of the bread with a generous layer of cream and lay the strawberries on top.

The most common presentation for ichigo sando is diagonally halved to create triangular sandwiches with the strawberries pointing in the same direction. Place 3 strawberries diagonally across the bread, then fill the empty corners with the 2 leftover strawberries.

Spread a layer of cream on the other slice while making sure to leave some leftover cream to fill in the gaps between the strawberries.

Place the other piece of bread on top and gently press the edges to seal it. (Be careful not to press the centre and damage the strawberries.)

Wrap the sandwich with plastic wrap and use a marker pen to draw a guideline following the row of strawberries. You can follow the guideline when you cut the sandwich later.

For best results, store in the fridge for 3-4 hours before eating.

Finally, cut the sandwich by following the line you drew earlier. Make sure to use a sharp knife and cut through while it’s still wrapped in the plastic wrap. This will stop the bread from sliding around, resulting in a perfect cut!

Serve and Enjoy!

For beautiful mini triangle sandwiches, place one strawberry in the center with the point facing up and then arrange the other 4 strawberries so that the points are directed towards each corner of the bread.

Spread a layer of cream on the other slice and fill in all the gaps with the leftover cream as you would normally.

Place the other slice of bread on top and gently press the edges down to seal the sandwich. Don’t press the middle, the centre should be the tallest point, almost like a mountain.

Wrap with plastic and mark with a cross, then store in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours.

Cut along the mark so that you have 4 equal triangle sandwiches.

This type of cut is perfect for making smaller portions if you find halves too big, it’s also great for sharing and parties!

For this one, I used an extra strawberry and made two rows of 3 going in opposite directions. Each row should be placed a third of the width away from the edge.

Fill in the gaps between the strawberries with cream as you usually would.

Wrap with plastic wrap and draw lines to mark where each row of strawberries is. Store in the fridge for 3-4 hours.

Use the lines marked on the plastic wrap as a guide for cutting.

Serve and enjoy!

Trim the stems and cut triangles at the top center of 3 of the strawberries.

Lay the heart-shaped strawberries on their sides diagonally across the cream-coated bread. (If you want to make a clearer division between each heart, place some cream in the triangle cut.)

Fill the empty spaces with one strawberry on each side. The tips of each strawberry should be pointing toward the corners of the bread.

Spread a generous layer of cream over the other slice and then fill in the gaps between the strawberries with the leftovers.

Complete the sandwich by placing one slice of bread over the other and gently press the edges to seal. Wrap it in plastic wrap and draw a guide line in the direction of the heart-shaped strawberries using a marker pen. Store in the fridge for 3-4 hours.

Once it’s time to serve, use a sharp knife to cut along the guideline with the plastic wrap still on.

Enjoy!

Mix the cake flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. This is just to ensure all the ingredients are evenly distributed before adding them to the wet ingredients.

To avoid lumps of flour and create a smoother dough, sift the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients all at once.

The dough is pretty thick and sticky so I recommend using a silicone spatula (affiliate link) to knead all the ingredients together. Sata Andagi dough has the consistency of a soft cookie dough.

Some people like to refrigerate the dough so that it’s easier to shape, but I like to speed things up so I divide the dough using two spoons, one for scooping and one for scraping onto the mat. The dough is pretty sticky so I recommend placing them on a non-stick surface such as a silicone baking mat (like above) or some greaseproof paper. Lightly oiling the surface will also help prevent sticking.

Heat your oil to 150-160°C (302-320°F), the low frying temperature is what helps the cracks appear on the andagi.

Once the oil is hot enough, roll each piece of dough into a ball before gently placing it in the oil. (You will probably find the pieces of dough have stuck to the surface even if it’s non-stick, so use a spoon or spatula to remove them.) I recommend greasing your hands for easier handling.

Another tip is to use a mesh spoon or something similar to lower the dough into the oil, this is safer than dropping them in because it doesn’t cause a splash.

Because of the low temperature, it’s easy to undercook sata andagi, and no one wants donuts that are raw in the middle!

As the andagi cooks, they start to float and move around. You can usually tell when they’re fully cooked because they will become golden on the outside and start rolling by themselves, they practically become alive! This usually takes about 4 minutes.

If in doubt, take one from the oil and pierce it with a bamboo skewer. If it comes out clean then it’s cooked all the way through.

Place the cooked sata andagi on a wire rack for a few minutes to allow any excess oil to drain off.

After that, you are free to enjoy your hot and delicious sata andagi fresh from the fryer!

The most essential part of making this burger a “Tsukimi burger” is the egg fried in a round shape to resemble the full moon. There are no secret tips or tricks to this, I simply use a round mold (also known as an egg ring) in the frying pan.

If you have any large round cookie cutters, these work, too, as long as you oil them well.

Start by heating a pan on low. Once it’s hot, crack the eggs into the rings, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and break the yolks. Not only does this create a moon surface effect, but it also mixes the salt into the egg rather than having it sitting on the surface.

Don’t worry if a little bit of egg white leaks out from underneath. You can cut it off later. (My pan isn’t perfectly flat, so a little bit leaked out.)

Place a lid on top and cook the eggs on low heat until it becomes firm. This takes about 5 minutes, although it could be longer or shorter depending on the height and width of the egg ring.

By using a lid, the steam gets trapped and cooks the top of the egg, so there’s no need to flip it.

My recipe makes 4 Tsukimi burgers, so I divide the patty mixture into quarters and roll them into balls using the palm of my hand. Next, I toss them from one hand to the other to remove any air that might be trapped in there like this:

McDonald’s patties are usually quite thin so I press them gently in the palm of my hand and then flatten them a bit more when I add them to the frying pan.

Once the patties are cooked on one side, flip them over and add a slice of cheese to each one. This is to melt the cheese before you assemble the Tsukimi burger.

The sauce doesn’t require any cooking. Simply mix Japanese mayonnaise, ketchup, lemon juice, white pepper, salt and paprika powder in a small bowl.

The order of the burger from bottom to top should go bun > patty (with cheese) > egg > bacon > sauce > bun.

And the Tsukimi burger is complete!

In a small bowl, combine oyster sauce, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, tomato ketchup, sake, sugar, black pepper, and sesame oil. Stir the mixture well until all the ingredients are fully blended.

Set this aside to let the flavors meld together.

Heat cooking oil in a wok or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add pre-boiled Chinese-style noodles.

Fry them until they’re slightly crispy on both sides. Once done, transfer the noodles to a plate.

Add pork belly seasoned with a pinch of salt and pepper in the same wok. Fry until the pieces are crispy and cooked through.

Add yellow onion to the wok with the pork. Stir fry until the onion reaches your desired softness.

Push the pork and onion to one side of the wok.

Add the noodles back in and pour the previously prepared yakisoba sauce over them, coating them well. Avoid pouring the sauce directly on the pork and onions.

Mix everything in the wok together, ensuring the noodles, pork, and onions are evenly coated with the sauce. Stir fry for an additional minute before removing from the heat.

Cut hot dog buns through the middle and spread each side with a bit of unsalted butter.

Place an equal amount of the yakisoba mix into each bun. Ensure a good balance of noodles, pork, and onions in each.

Sprinkle dried green laver powder over the filling for an umami flavor. Add a touch of red pickled ginger on top for a zesty finish.

Enjoy your homemade yakisoba buns filled with crispy, flavorful noodles and pork, accented with a tangy, savory sauce and vibrant toppings!

i. Whisk sugar, honey, and a pinch of salt with the eggs until the mixture looks slightly paler but not foamy. This dissolves sugar into the egg’s water and helps the batter hold tiny bubbles for a tender crumb.

ii. Stop while it’s still fluid and glossy.

iii. Sift cake flour (or a low-protein flour) with baking soda directly over the bowl, then whisk just until most dry streaks disappear. Minimal mixing limits gluten development so the cakes stay soft.

iv. It’s fine if a few tiny lumps remain. They hydrate during the rest. If cake flour is hard to find, make a quick substitute with all-purpose flour.

v. Drizzle in neutral oil and fold 5-10 strokes, just enough to coat the batter. A trace of fat “shortens” gluten by coating flour proteins, which helps the skins bend without cracking.

vi. Stream in water and whisk briefly until pourable and silky. Use room-temperature water to keep viscosity predictable.

vii. You’re aiming for a batter that flows in a steady ribbon.

viii. Transfer the batter to a spouted container, cover, and refrigerate 15 minutes. This rest hydrates flour for a finer crumb and lets bubbles even out so the dorayaki cook flat.

i. Preheat a nonstick or well-seasoned pan over low to medium-low heat to 170-180℃ (338-356°F).

ii. Lightly oil the surface, then wipe with kitchen paper until only a thin film remains, excess oil causes mottled spots. You’re looking for gentle heat that sets the batter without scorching the honey.

i. Stir the batter once to redistribute ingredients, then pour in one steady spot so it spreads into a neat circle about 8 cm (3 in) across. For that size, 22-25 g (just over 1 tablespoon) per cake is a good target. Don’t swirl the spoon, let gravity shape the round. If your pan fits, cook 2-3 at a time with space between them.

ii. Cook the first side until the outer 3-4 mm dry and the two or three surface bubbles break and leave tiny craters, about 60-120 seconds.

iii. If bubbles race across the surface and the color darkens too fast, your pan is too hot! Lower the heat and wait 30 seconds.

i. Slide a thin spatula under the cake and flip gently. Cook the second side 40-60 seconds, just until set and lightly colored. The interior should be springy to the touch, with no wet shine.

ii. Before each new pour, rub on a thin film of oil and wipe off to leave only a sheen. This prevents sticking without creating “freckled” spots from oil pooling. If your second side consistently darkens faster, dial the heat down a notch and give the pan 30 seconds to stabilize.

i. Weigh 300 g sweet red bean paste (anko). Spread about 2 Tbsp on the flat side of the pancake, concentrating it slightly thicker in the center and thinner at the edges, leaving a 5 mm border. Assemble while the skins are warm so moisture migration helps the edges seal.

ii. Top each with another pancake and press gently to seal. For neat sides, trim any escaped anko with a butter knife, then move finished dorayaki to a rack to cool until barely warm.

Dorayaki taste best after a short rest (10-15 minutes) when the moisture has redistributed into the pancakes.

Enjoy!

First, cut the pork tenderloin block in half. Cut each piece through the middle lengthways until just over halfway through, open out both sides and flatten.

Then, use a knife to pound the meat evenly, changing directions frequently to ensure it is tender and thin. Once the meat is flattened out, sprinkle salt and pepper on top.

Fold and shape the tenderloin to match the size of your bread. If the shape is not quite square, you can cut off a piece of the scraps and use it to even out the shape.

The thickness should be around 1.5 to 2 cm (about 0.5-0.8 inches). If it’s thicker than that, you will have to increase the frying time, or worse, you will end up with raw in the center.

While it’s important to shape the pork nicely, the thickness is the most crucial factor to consider here.

After shaping the meat into two squares, wrap them in plastic wrap.

Place them in the freezer for a short time to firm them up, which will help them maintain their shape during cooking.

It’s important to note that this is not for freezing the meat entirely but rather for semi-freezing it.

The optimal time required for this process varies depending on the temperature of your freezer, but typically, it takes between 30 minutes and an hour. In my case, I left them in the freezer for 45 minutes.

While the pork is setting, you can prepare the sauce.

This recipe includes two sauce options: mustard sauce and red miso sauce. However, you don’t need to make both sauces. You can choose the one you prefer based on your own taste. If you decide to make just one, make sure to double the recipe quantities. By the way, the mustard sauce is the easier one to make.

To make red miso sauce, add dashi stock, red miso (hatcho miso) paste, sake, mirin, soy sauce, and light brown sugar to a cold saucepan. Mix all the ingredients well.

Place the pan on the stove and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, lower the heat to a simmer. Cook the sauce until it becomes slightly thickened and glossy (approximately 5-10 minutes). Stir occasionally to prevent burning.

Remove the pan from the heat and mix in white sesame seeds.

On the other hand, to make mustard sauce, you simply need to mix Japanese mayonnaise, Japanese mustard, sugar, and black pepper in a small bowl. Stir well until all the ingredients are mixed thoroughly.

When the tenderloin is firm enough, it’s time to coat with batter!

To create the coating, you’ll need three containers or bowls. Add cake flour to the first container, beaten egg to the second container, and breadcrumbs to the third container.

Start by covering it with a thin layer of flour.

Next, coat with the beaten egg.

Finally, cover with breadcrumbs. Make sure to press the breadcrumbs firmly onto the batter to prevent them from peeling off.

We will use the twice-fried technique in this recipe to ensure the pork is cooked thoroughly inside. The worst thing that can happen is that the meat is still red inside when you cut it, which indicates that it has not been cooked enough.

Also, if you are using a regular-sized deep fryer instead of a large one, it is recommended to fry one katsu at a time. This will prevent the oil temperature from dropping too quickly and also avoid accidents such as the batter peeling off as the katsu hit each other.

Now, place the coated pork in preheated oil at 160°C (320°F) and fry for 4 minutes on each side, for a total of 8 minutes.

After frying the pork for eight minutes, remove it from the pot and place it on a wire rack. Let it rest for at least five minutes. The residual heat will help cook the pork slowly to the inside.

I suggest frying one piece of pork at a time and frying the second piece while the first piece rests. This way, the first piece will rest for eight minutes while you cook the second one. It’s an efficient use of time and helps prevent accidents.

Once the pork has been rested, increase the temperature of the deep-frying oil to 180°C (356°F) and deep-fry the pork again. This time, fry both sides for 1 minute each, for a total of 2 minutes.

The final result should be crispy pork after the second frying!

If using mustard mayo, drizzle the katsu with Worcestershire sauce.

Butter your bread on one side of each piece of bread. Top with a layer of your choice of sauce. In my case, I’m making one with mustard mayo and one with red miso.

Top one side with a generous helping of shredded cabbage.

Place the katsu on top of the cabbage, then close the sandwich and cut off the crusts (optional).

Cut the sandwiches in half, making sure to wipe the knife between each cut.

Enjoy!

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