Katsudon

Katsudon (カツ丼) is a popular Japanese dish, a type of donburi, which is a rice bowl dish. It consists of a breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet (tonkatsu) and eggs cooked in a sweet and salty broth and then placed over rice.

Etymology

The name "Katsudon" is derived from two Japanese words: "katsu," which is short for "katsuretsu" (the Japanese transliteration of the English word "cutlet"), and "don," short for "donburi," the type of bowl in which the dish is served.

Preparation

The tonkatsu used in Katsudon is made by coating slices of pork in panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) and then deep frying them. The cooked cutlet is then simmered with beaten eggs, onions, and a mixture of soy sauce, mirin, and dashi (a broth made from kelp and bonito flakes) in a frying pan before being served over a bowl of steamed rice.

Variations

There are several regional variations of Katsudon in Japan. In Niigata Prefecture, Katsudon is served with tare sauce instead of the usual soy-based sauce. In Nagoya, a variation called "miso katsudon" is served with a Hatcho miso-based sauce.

Cultural significance

Katsudon is often consumed before important events for good luck in Japan because "katsu" also means "to win" in Japanese. It is a common pre-exam meal for students and is also often eaten by sumo wrestlers before matches.

See also

• Japanese cuisine
• Donburi
• Tonkatsu
• Panko
• Soy sauce
• Mirin
• Dashi

‎