Tori Katsudon
Wondering what to cook for dinner? Turn to
this classic Japanese rice topping. Make kitchen work stress-free by breading
the meat and preparing the sweet spy stock ahead of time. This way, dinner is
served in minutes!
Tori
Katsudon
Serves: 4
Prep time:
30 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
For the culters
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8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
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Salt and pepper, to season
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½ cup all-purpose flour
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2 eggs, lightly beaten
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1 cup Japanese breadcrumbs
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Oil for deep-frying
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For the sweet soy stock
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1 tablespoon oil
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1 white onion, cut in haft and sliced
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½ cup water
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¼ cup light soy sauce (we used Kikkoman)
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3 tablespoons mirin (Japanese rice wine)
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3 tablespoons brown sugar
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4 eggs
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4 cups steamed rice
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Chopped green onions for garnish (optional)
1. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Dredge lightly in flour.
Dip into beaten eggs then coat in breadcrumbs.
2. Deep-fry a few chicken thighs at a time in preheat oil. Drain on
paper towels. Set aside and keep warm.
3. Make the sweet soy stock: Heat oil in a frying pan. Sauté onions;
cook until soft and translucent. Pour in water, soy sauce, mirin, and brown
sugar. Stir to dissolve sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil then lower heat and
simmer until slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. Add the cooked chicken pieces.
4. Whisk eggs in a bowl; pour over chicken and stock. Cover frying pan,
reduce heat, and allow to steam for about 5 minutes or until eggs are cooked.
Remove from heat.
5. To serve, fill 4 rice bowls with 1 cup steamed rice each. Top each
bowl with 2 pieces of the chicken and ¼ egg mixture. Spoon about ½ cup stock
into each bowl. Garnish with green onions.
Tip
Chicken can be substituted with pork lion
fillets to make katsudon.
Meringue Nests with Orange Curd
With this easy dessert recipe, nothing goes
to waste. Delicious meringues, with crisp edges and a chewy interior, are
whipped up from egg whites. And the leftover egg yolks? We made them into a
sweet and tangy orange curd!
Meringue
Nests with Orange Curd
Serve: 6
Prep time: 1
hour
Cooking time: 45 minutes
For the meringues
§
4 large egg whites, room temperature
§
Pinch of salt
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1 cup plus 2 tablespoons caster sugar 1 teaspoon
cornstarch
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1 teaspoon white vinegar
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Orange curd, to serve (recipe follows)
For the orange curb
§
½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
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Zest from ½ orange
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100 grams butter
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½ cup caster sugar
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3 egg yolks plus 1 egg
1. Preheat oven to 4370C and line baking sheets with
parchment paper.
2. Make the meringues: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the
whisk attachment, beat egg whites and salt together until glossy peaks form.
With the mixer running, add sugar one tablespoon at a time, beating until
meringue is stiff and glossy. Sprinkle cornstarch and vinegar over the mixture;
mix until meringue is just combined.
3. Spoon portions of the egg white mixture onto prepared sheets. Shape
them into nests. Place baking sheets in the oven, then lower temperature
immediately to 2120F. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until you can
easily remove the meringues from the lined baking sheets without them sticking.
4. Turn off oven. Leave the meringues inside to cool, keeping the oven
door slightly ajar.
5. Transfer to a wire rack, let cool completely.
6. Meanwhile, make the orange curd: Place orange juice, zest, and
butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir until the butter is melted. Add
sugar, egg yolks, and egg. Whisk continuously until the mixture thickens
slightly, around 5 to 7 minutes. Leave to cool completely before using.
7. To assemble, fill center of each cooled meringue nest with about 2
tablespoons orange curd.
Tip
You can use a piping bag fir more around
meringue nests. Remember that the meringue nests and orange curd must be cooled
completely before they can be assembled. Both the meringue mixture and curd can
be made a day ahead. Aside from orange curb, you can also top the meringues
with fresh fruits such as mango, kiwi, or strawberry slices.
