Vivian's food blog?

Last night we had tonkatsu, Japanese breaded pork cutlet. This version pictured, although seemingly identical to regular tonkatsu is oodles healthier than the original. It is baked tonkatsu - think shake and bake!

Usually good tonkatsu is seasoned w/pepper & salt, breaded in potato starch, dipped in egg wash and then breaded with coarse bread crumbs...finally it is deep-fried in lard (at restaurants)! Ouch, so much for Japanese food being healthy!

Mine was made like this: first the breadcrumbs were pre-fried in a blend of olive and canola oil, then I followed the original recipe...only instead of frying, baking at the last step. It is doused with Bulldog sauce and freshly ground sesame seeds (see centre...special Japanese mortar and pestle) after having been placed on a generous bed of wispily cut cabbage...garnished with some tomatoes and cucumbers, 2 wedges and 3 slices accordingly.

The last picture was today's breakfast...straw-bound natto, nameko (slimy mushroom) miso soup, and red/yellow bell pepper/purple onion/cabbage salad.