Recipe Blog 1

Painless Pork Steak

Directions: Season the pork with salt and pepper, then also with two teaspoons of potato starch and two teaspoons of cooking sake. Divide the pork into two piles and form them into patties. 

Slice two cloves of garlic and fry them in canola oil until brown. Once done, take the garlic chips out of the pan and set them aside. 

Over medium heat, cook the pork patties in a covered pan for a few minutes on each side. Make sure they are thoroughly cooked, and plate.

Using the remaining oil in the pan, add one and a half tablespoons of tonkatsu sauce, a tablespoon of oyster sauce and mirin, pepper, and some MSG. Stir until it thickens a little bit, and cover the patties. Add the garlic chips and some dried parsley and serve.

Serving suggestions: Rice pairs very well, as its sweetness balances out the salty taste of the sauce. Some shredded cabbage on the side is also recommended.

Brief Description: My mom makes this sometimes when it is just the two of us for dinner. During these occasions, we don’t have the usual meals with rice and miso soup, but instead just drink beer or whiskey with some smaller-portioned dishes, or “otsumami” in Japanese. Usually pork steak is made with a large block of pork, but she found that using the thin strips of pork we buy in bulk works just as well, with the added benefit of being able to use the same strips in other recipes like curry or stir-fries as well. It’s also rather easy to make, about 10 minutes from start to finish.

Serving quantity: makes two steaks

Ingredients:

Canola oil (1 tablespoon) Unknown

Garlic (2 cloves) Japan

Pork (preferably 豚小間, 250 grams) Japan

Salt Japan

Cooking sake (2 teaspoons) Japan

Potato starch (2 teaspoons) Japan

Pepper India

Tonkatsu sauce (1 tablespoon) Japan

Oyster sauce (1 tablespoon) Japan

Mirin (1 tablespoon) Japan

MSG Japan

Dried parsley USA

Materials needed: Frying pan, kitchen knife, cutting board, spatula, tablespoon, pan lid