15 Minute Chef: Tonkatsu

The amount of the sauce ingredients should be adjusted to taste. Try to pick pork pieces with a thin rim of fat - the meat will be more moist.

For the sauce

120 grams tomato ketchup

45ml Worcestershire sauce

45ml sake

15 grams granulated sugar

30ml soy sauce

1 tsp Colman's dry mustard

Finely grated ginger

For the tonkatsu

4 boneless pork chops or cutlets, about 8mm thick

Plain flour, for dusting

1-2 large eggs, whisked

Panko (Japanese bread crumbs), for dredging

Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Oil, for frying

Finely shredded green cabbage

Lemon wedges

Cooked Japanese rice

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Make the sauce first so the flavours have time to blend.

• Whisk the ketchup with the Worcestershire sauce, sake, sugar, soy sauce and mustard, then add grated ginger to taste. Adjust the seasonings as needed.

• Pour oil in a pan to the depth of 2cm and heat to 180 degrees Celsius. While the oil is heating, cut slits around 1cm deep around the perimeter of each piece of meat (this helps stop the edges from curling).

• Sprinkle the meat on both sides with salt and pepper. Put the flour, whisked egg and panko in separate bowls. Dip the meat into the flour, making sure it's lightly but evenly coated on both sides, then shake off the excess. Coat it with the egg, then dredge it in the panko, pressing on it to make sure the bread crumbs adhere.

• Fry the pork in the hot oil until the crust is medium-golden and the meat is cooked. Drain on paper towels. Cut the meat into 1cm-thick slices and place on a plate with a mound of shredded cabbage, a lemon wedge, and the sauce in a dipping bowl.

Susan Jung

susan.jung@scmp.com