[Non-Fried Katsudon]

Do you ever find yourself with an uncontrollable craving for katsudon?

I still remember the first time I encountered katsudon as a child during a family trip. It might have been that day when I first thought, "When I grow up, I want to earn my own money and eat as much katsudon as I want."

The order happened to be overlooked, and I waited for over an hour. When it finally arrived, the taste was beyond words—nothing could compare to it.

With memories like that, katsudon has always been my "accessible feast," and eating it never fails to give me a boost of energy.

However, when I looked up recipes to make it myself, the process seemed overwhelmingly tedious. I wondered if there was a simpler way, so I tried pan-searing pork cutlet meat instead of deep-frying it. The result was surprisingly delicious, so I would like to share it with you.

First, cut the pork into bite-sized pieces, chop some onions and mushrooms, and sauté them in oil. Season with salt and black pepper as you go to draw out the umami. Once cooked through, add about 100ml of water per serving and simmer for a bit, then season with noodle soup base (mentsuyu) to your liking. Finally, pour in beaten eggs, cover with a lid, and it's done in about 30 to 40 seconds.

We usually serve a double portion in a large bowl and use a serving spoon to dish it out into individual bowls. Wajima Kirimoto's Sugiwan is perfect for this. Thanks to its gentle thickness, it doesn't feel too hot to the touch. For a little extra kick, try adding some ichimi chili pepper.

I hope you'll give this easy "non-fried katsudon" a try at home.

Wajima Kirimoto's Sugiwan
https://www.shokunin.com/en/kirimoto/sugi.html
Appi Urushi Studio's Owan #3.8
https://www.shokunin.com/en/appi/wan.html
Wadasuke Seisakusho's Cooking & Serving Spoon S
https://www.shokunin.com/en/wadasuke/spoon.html