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Japanese · fried

Apple Chicken Katsu Curry

Crispy chicken katsu over Japanese curry sweetened with grated Golden Delicious apple.

Prep
25 min
Cook
35 min
Total
1 hr
Serves
2-3

Apple curry

Chicken katsu

To serve

Golden Delicious goes soft and jammy as it cooks. That's the point. It melts into the sauce instead of staying in cubes. Vermont or Java roux from T&T is the weeknight move. No blocks? Toast 2 tbsp flour in a knob of butter, then stir in 1½ tbsp garam masala and a pinch of turmeric until it smells like a spice shop.

  1. Start the curry: heat the oil and butter in a saucepan over medium. Add the onion and cook until it slumps and turns gold at the edges, 8-10 minutes. Stir in the carrot, potato if using, ginger, and garlic; cook 2 minutes.
  2. Add the grated apple and cook, stirring, until it weeps and starts to jam, 2-3 minutes. Pour in the stock and simmer until the carrot (and potato) are just tender, 12-15 minutes.
  3. Break in the roux squares and stir until they dissolve and the sauce turns glossy and thick. Season with soy and tonkatsu sauce. Keep on the lowest heat, lid ajar. It will thicken as it sits. Splash in water if it goes past gravy.
  4. Meanwhile, pound the chicken thighs to an even ½-inch. Salt and pepper both sides. Dredge in flour, dip in egg, then press into panko so the crumbs stand up.
  5. Heat ½ inch of oil in a skillet to 340°F (170°C). Fry the cutlets until deep gold and cooked through, 3-4 minutes a side. Drain on a rack. Rest 2 minutes, then slice into finger-width strips.
  6. Scoop rice into bowls. Ladle the apple curry beside (or under) the rice. Lean the katsu against it. Finish with fukujinzuke and pickled ginger.