This vegetarian katsu sandwich has so much occurring by way of taste and texture! There’s the mighty crunch of the fried tempeh cutlets and cabbage vs the softness of the bread. Umami and eggy Japanese mayo – plus fruity, savory tonkatsu sauce – ship it over the sting. Don’t fear! It’s tremendous simple to make this Japanese sando at dwelling.
Why This Katsu Sando Works
- A vegetarian model of the porky Japanese authentic. Intense taste. No compromise.
- Tempeh is meaty. The fried cutlets have a hearty crunch you anticipate from a katsu sando. And the chew is fiercely satisfying.
- Tonkatsu sauce and Kewpie mayo ship genuine Japanese flavors.
What’s a Katsu Sandwich
A katsu sando is a Japanese sandwich that includes a crunchy panko breaded, fried pork cutlet or rooster cutlet inside slices of pillowy delicate shokupan (Japanese milk bread). The sandwich is dressed with shredded cabbage, Japanese mayo and a savory, fruity tonkatsu sauce (extra on these substances in a sec). Whereas the meat cutlet is usually the star of the present in a katsu sandwich, I’m utilizing a vegetarian tempeh cutlet as an alternative.
What’s Tempeh
Tempeh is produced from fermented soybeans which are cooked and pressed right into a substantive cake. Whereas it’s plant based mostly, tempeh has a satisfyingly meaty chew. And it’s the proper protein to batter and pan-fry for this vegetarian Japanese katsu sandwich.
Katsu Sandwich Components
Scroll to the underside of this web page for the complete recipe and measurements!
- Soy Sauce, Sake and Mirin: Mix these three substances as a fast marinade for the tempeh. Consider this famend combo because the Japanese triumvirate of taste.
- Tempeh: Tempeh is offered in pretty uniform dimension blocks. Slice your tempeh into 6 equal sections.
- Flour and Water: You’ll combine 3 tablespoons of flour with 1/4 cup water to make a batter for the tempeh. This additionally permits the panko breadcrumbs to stay.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: Panko breadcrumbs are bigger than typical wonderful breadcrumbs. Consider panko extra like flaked bread. Once you fry with panko, the coating is gentle and ethereal with a considerable crunch. Out there at most grocery shops as of late – or decide up panko on Amazon.
- Oil: Use a impartial cooking oil like vegetable or grapeseed oil.
- Shredded Cabbage: Thinly shred your personal with a knife or mandolin – or simply decide up a bag of cabbage coleslaw combine on the grocery retailer.
- Sandwich Bread: Use what you’ve acquired useful or like greatest. In case you have a Japanese bakery close by, decide up a sliced loaf of shokupan (belief me).
- Japanese Mayo: I take advantage of Kewpie mayo. It’s eggy, umami, brilliant and virtually fruity. Vegans can completely use vegan mayo as an alternative.
- Tonkatsu Sauce: That is the enduring candy, savory and tangy brown sauce offered most iconically underneath the Bull-Canine model. Seize some – or make your personal at dwelling!
Selfmade Sandwich Ingredient Choices
Belief me after I inform you that there’s no must reinvent the wheel right here! You may simply decide up these substances in an Asian market or on-line. Nonetheless, should you’re a DIYer and wish to actually dive in to creating as a lot from scratch as attainable, I’ve acquired step-by-step recipes for many of the parts on this katsu sandwich under.
How one can Make a Japanese Tempeh Katsu Sandwich
- Combine the soy sauce, sake and mirin marinade in a small bowl and put aside.
- Then slice your tempeh block into 6 equal parts and place the slices inside a meals storage bag. Pour the marinade in, seal the bag and marinade for 10 minutes on all sides (20 minutes complete). Flip the bag as soon as.
- Combine the flour and water in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, pour in your panko breadcrumbs and set the 2 bowls subsequent to one another.
- Dip every tempeh stick within the flour combination and coat evenly on all sides. Then, dip them within the panko breadcrumbs to coat all sides.
- In a big skillet over medium excessive warmth, add the cooking oil. As soon as the oil is sizzling, add the breaded tempeh and cook dinner on all sides till golden brown.
- Subsequent, switch the tempeh to a a plated lined in paper towels to take away the surplus oil.
- Lastly, assemble your sandwiches with the fried tempeh, shredded cabbage – and a great quantity of Japanese mayo and tonkatsu sauce. Serve instantly.
Incessantly Requested Questions
Not fairly. However it may be! Since mayonnaise comprises egg, vegans will wish to use a plant based mostly mayo as an alternative. Additionally, should you’re utilizing panko breadcrumbs, make sure you learn the label first. Some manufacturers use dairy of their panko. Bull-Canine model tonkatsu sauce is definitely completely vegan. However you may as well use vegan BBQ sauce if that’s what you have got useful.
Tempeh is offered at most grocery shops as of late. And, whereas shokupan (Japanese milk bread) is usually recommended, I really like making this on fundamental sourdough sandwich bread from my native bakery. As for the Japanese particular substances, you’ll in all probability monitor all the pieces else down pretty simply at an Asian grocery retailer. If there’s not a retailer in your space, listed here are a pair useful hyperlinks to purchase on-line: tonkatsu sauce, Kewpie mayonnaise, panko breadcrumbs, sake and mirin.
You most definitely can. A Japanese katsu sando is normally made with a breaded pork or rooster cutlet. This baked rooster katsu recipe would work completely!
Storage
This tempeh katsu sandwich tastes greatest sizzling and crispy, proper out of the pan, and freshly assembled.
That stated, you may retailer fried tempeh cutlets for as much as 3 days within the fridge.
- Be sure you retailer the leftover cutlets lined – and fully separate from the remainder of your sandwich fixings.
- To reheat, place in a pan with a little bit oil over medium warmth and fry till crispy.
- Microwaving the cutlets just isn’t beneficial, as it’ll render them soggy. Higher to eat them chilly (suppose chilly fried rooster) than to microwave them.
Freezing leftover fried tempeh cutlets just isn’t beneficial.
What to Serve With a Tempeh Katsu Sandwich
Among the best issues about lunch in Japan is the teishoku – or meal set. Teishoku normally come as a essential dish, surrounded by a couple of small sides and a drink. Consider it as a price meal. Should you wanna whip up a Japanese meal set round this tempeh katsu sando at your house, listed here are some enjoyable concepts:
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Tempeh Katsu Sandwich
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook dinner Time: 5 minutes
Whole Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 2 sandwiches 1x
Class: Sandwiches
Methodology: Skillet
Delicacies: Japanese
Weight-reduction plan: Vegetarian
Description
A vegetarian tempeh katsu sandwich with a mighty crunch. Load it up with tonkastu sauce and Kewpie mayo and also you’ve acquired a legendary meal. Prepared in 25 minutes!
Components
Items
Scale
Directions
- Combine the soy sauce, sake, and mirin in a bowl, and put aside.
- Slice the tempeh into 6 sticks. Put the tempeh in a storage bag and add the sauce. Take among the air out earlier than sealing the bag and let the tempeh marinate for 10 minutes. Flip the bag over and marinate for an extra 10 minutes.
- Combine the flour and water in a bowl huge sufficient to dip the tempeh.
- Place the panko breadcrumbs in one other bowl of the identical dimension, subsequent to the flour combination.
- One after the other, dip every tempeh stick within the flour combination and coat evenly on all sides. Then, dip them within the panko breadcrumbs to coat all sides.
- Add the oil to a big skillet and switch the warmth to medium excessive. When the oil is sizzling, add the tempeh and cook dinner till the sticks are golden brown on all sides – about 4 to five minutes.
- Switch the tempeh to a paper towel to take away extra oil.
- Toast the bread and high 2 slices with some shredded cabbage and two tempeh sticks per sandwich. Squirt loads of tonkatsu sauce on the tempeh and high with the remaining bread. Serve instantly.
Diet
- Serving Dimension: 1 sandwich
- Energy: 542
- Sugar: 5.1g
- Sodium: 465mg
- Fats: 28g
- Saturated Fats: 3.6g
- Unsaturated Fats: 17.6g
- Trans Fats: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 47.1g
- Fiber: 11.4g
- Protein: 27.1g
- Ldl cholesterol: 0mg
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