Chicken Katsu with Cheesy Broccoli Mash and Tonkatsu Sauce

Chicken Katsu is Japanese chicken schnitzel coated in panko. Panko is Japanese dry coarse breadcrumbs made from yeast raised wheat bread and grounded into slivery shaped crumbs. White panko is made using without crust and tan panko is made from the whole loaf contents. The flakiness of panko delivers crispier, crunchier and lighter products.

Cheesy Broccoli and Potato Mash Ingredients serve 4

600 g peeled and chopped potatoes

250 g broccoli crowns

¼ finely chopped red onion (35g)

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp ground black pepper

100 ml fresh cream

90 g shredded cheddar cheese

Method

Place potatoes in a large saucepan covered with salted water over medium heat. Bring to the boil, cover with a lid and simmer for approx. 20 minutes. Place the broccoli in a steaming tray over the potatoes 6 minutes before the potatoes are cooked. Drain the water from the potatoes and mash them together with broccoli. Add onion, salt, pepper and cream. Blend evenly and fold in the cheese. Place the mash in a serving dish with lid and keep warm until serving.

Chicken Katsu Method

Preheat oven to 180ºC normal bake. Cut chicken breast in horizontal in half and place between to plastic bags. Beat the chicken with a mallet until evenly thick approx. 1 cm. Place plain flour in a bowl, whisk an egg in a second bowl and place panko in a third bowl. Coat the chicken pieces, then dip in eggs and last coat in panko. Heat oil in a large deep pan and fry the chicken approx. 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to the oven and cook for 10 minutes. Serve with cheesy broccoli mash and tonkatsu sauce.

Note: Add your favourite seasoning to the flour or the panko breadcrumbs. You can also deep fry the chicken if you have a deep fryer. First coat the chicken in dry tempura batter, second dip in wet tempura batter and last coat in panko before frying.