Katsu is not a sauce. So what is katsu? We look into what the word means presently in the UK and how it came to Japan.
Katsu is not a sauce
Katsu is not a sauce. This is a common thought which seems to be concentrated within the UK itself. Australians and Americans do not make this mistake, so I’m not sure how it initially occurred within these shores. I largely put it down to bad marketing as it seems every time a Japanese curry sauce is advertised, it defaults to the term “katsu sauce”.
A quick look on Twitter under the hashtag #KatsuCurryPolice yields several posts that are disgruntled by this phenomenon.
Katsu (カツ) is simply the shortened version of the word katsuretsu (カツレツ), meaning cutlet. This of course would refer to the fried, breadcrumbed item, and not the sauce. As a variation of croquettes, the dish started in France in the early 1700s but grew in popularity throughout Europe.
The Polish then brought this idea to Japan during the Meiji era (1868-1912), where a restaurant by the name of Rengatei in the fashionable area of Ginza, Tokyo, served it. [1] Tonkatsu aka pork-cutlet was served with a sauce similar to Worcester sauce, shredded cabbage and rice.
Aside from tonkatsu, other popular katsu dishes include:
Katsudon: ‘pork cutlet-bowl’, a rice bowl with sliced cutlet on top served with egg, vegetables and condiments
Katsu sando: ‘pork cutlet sandwich’, a sandwich with a pork cutlet, cabbage, butter and sometimes dijon mustard in the middle
Katsu kare: ‘cutlet curry’, cutlet served with a Japanese curry sauce
Pork is the main meat for katsu, but other items are popular including beef, chicken, prawn, tofu and vegetables!
The word ‘katsu’ also sounds like the Japanese phrase “to win” (勝つ). For this reason, sometimes people eat tonkatsu before a big event to ensure they win at the task, whether it be a sporting event, a test or an interview. This theme can sometimes be seen in Japanese movies.
What about the sauce?
In short, the sauce is just Japanese curry. Katsu is not the name of the sauce.
The sauce is of course inspired by Indian curries, but it was actually the British who introduced Japan to it, via their colonisation of India at the time. The Japanese adopted a similar way of naming the sauce too, karē (カレー), pronounced ‘kah-reh’.
Naturally, the sauce was adjusted to appeal to a Japanese palate, so it is milder and sweeter than Indian curries. Apple or honey is sometimes added as a result.
Japanese curry is commonly eaten with rice (with or without a katsu), udon (a type of thick wheat noodle) or inside bread (akin to a stuffed bread). Obviously, with a katsu, the sauce is added on top. But when it is served without a katsu, additional ingredients include potatoes, carrots, onions and a protein like chicken.
Where to get good katsu in Manchester
Osaka Local: Street food vendor based in Manchester. Reiko has been bringing authentic katsu kare since April 2019. Follow her on Facebook or Instagram to find out where she’ll be next!
Yuzu Manchester: They’ve made it to the Good Food Guide 2015-2020 for good reason. Get your katsu small plates here, served with a fruity sauce (similar to Worcester)
Yane: New arrival in Manchester run by a couple of British Born Chinese. Try their katsu kare! Order via their website or Deliveroo.
Manzoku Sushi: Gina is a friend so I am biased here. She does however make a good chicken and tofu katsu curry.
References
[1] Rengatei: venerable Ginza eaterie is birthplace of ‘yoshoku’ classics ..(n.d.). Retrieved August 12, 2021, from https://japantoday.com/category/features/food/rengatei-venerable-ginza-eaterie-is-birthplace-of-yoshoku-classics-like-tonkatsu-and-omuraisu.
This sauce is the traditional Japanese accompaniment for tonkatsu — Japanese-style breaded pork cutlets. It's made from a specially balanced blend of applesauce, onion, tomato paste, carrots and traditionally brewed Kikkoman® Soy Sauce that adds flavor to meat and poultry.
It's the chicken counterpart of Tonkatsu or pork cutlet. With just a few simple ingredients from your pantry, you can make chicken katsu even on a weeknight! If you're curious, katsu is basically a shortened form of katsuretsu (カツレツ), meaning “cutlet” in Japanese.
The calories primarily come from deep-fried meat and curry sauce. The base of katsu curry sauce is coconut milk. While very creamy and flavorful, one cup of coconut milk includes 445 calories and 48 grams of fat.
Katsu or “cutlet” in Japanese, refers to meat that's been pounded thin before being cooked. It was introduced in Japan by the British in the Meiji era so that makes it a western dish, not traditionally Japanese. Being a Western-style curry, katsu curry is often mild unlike the Indian curry.
a Japanese dish consisting of a piece of meat, usually chicken, or vegetable, covered in bread crumbs, fried, then usually cut into strips and eaten with a sauce: One of my favourite dishes growing up, chicken katsu is basically the Japanese version of fried chicken.
Short for tonkatsu, katsu sauce is essentially the Japanese equivalent of Western barbecue sauce. It's sweet and tangy with an umami undertone that packs a flavorful punch. You'll usually find it served with pork tonkatsu, a popular dish of breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet with cabbage and rice.
What's so cracking about Katsu? This Japanese take on curry is uniquely indulgent. What makes Katsu different from any other Japanese (or worldwide) curry is the preparation of the meat. Meat in Katsu is first breaded in Panko breadcrumbs, then fried, then slathered in a rich curry sauce and served with sticky rice.
Love these Sakurazuke - pink pickled daikon mooli radish slices - really unusual sweet & sour / tangy flavour with a satsifying crunch. I tend to pop them on a Katsu curry, stir-fried noodles or ramen noodles with a Yutaka instant bonito miso soup broth (very lean but un-authentic!) or to accompany sushi.
Katsu curry (katsukare) is the ingenious marriage of katsu (a breaded and fried meat cutlet) with rich and flavorful Japanese curry, all served on a bed of rice. You get the crisp crunch of the breaded meat with the thick, gravy-like curry.
The Japanese absolutely love curry and deep-fried food. So it only makes sense that we pair the two together for a hearty and scrumptious dish like this Katsu Curry (カツカレー). Don't be surprised when I tell you there are so many paths to put this popular curry rice together!
Katsu is deliberately similar to Wiener Schnitzel. I think the biggest difference is that Katsu is coated with panko before cooking. Wiener Schnitzel has been copied around the world. A delicious version is Cotoletta Milanese which is fried in lots of butter.
The pink color in the meat of safely cooked chicken is particularly common in young birds. The bones of younger chickens are more permeable than older animals, which can allow the bone marrow to leak into the surrounding meat and produce a pink color.
Sushi, often these restaurants serve Katsu curry, but despite the common misconception katsu refers to the crispy breaded meat or tofu, not necessarily the curry! Japanese curries range in many flavours, but they are not the same as Chinese or Indian curries and have quite a distinguishable taste.
What is the difference between karaage and katsu? Katsu refers to deep-fried cutlet and commonly uses chicken breast that's been breaded with panko before frying, while karaage uses bite-size chicken thighs that are coated potato or corn starch. We serve katsu with a sweet-savory brown sauce called tonkatsu sauce.
Chicken katsu (chicken cutlet (Japanese: チキンカツ, Hepburn: chikinkatsu)), also known as panko chicken or tori katsu (torikatsu (鶏カツ)) is a Japanese dish of fried chicken made with panko bread crumbs. It is related to tonkatsu, fried pork cutlets.
Sushi, often these restaurants serve Katsu curry, but despite the common misconception katsu refers to the crispy breaded meat or tofu, not necessarily the curry! Japanese curries range in many flavours, but they are not the same as Chinese or Indian curries and have quite a distinguishable taste.
Can you substitute tonkatsu sauce? Yes. If you don't have all the ingredients to make your own, you can substitute with tomato, Worcestershire or barbecue sauce. Otherwise, you could also shake things up by using other Japanese sauces such as takoyaki, okonomiyaki or yakisoba sauce instead.
Chicken katsu curry is a very popular curry dish – traditionally hailing from Japan, this dish comprises of panko breadcrumb coated chicken in a thick curry sauce and rice. Due to the ease of preparation and minimal ingredients list, it is a firm favourite with the British.
It is a thick (viscosity over 2.0 pascal-second, per JAS Standard) Japanese Worcestershire-type sauce. It is similar to a brown sauce (British Isles), and can include a fish sauce, tomatoes, prunes, dates, apples, lemon juice, carrots, onions, and celery among its ingredients.
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Introduction: My name is Cheryll Lueilwitz, I am a sparkling, clean, super, lucky, joyous, outstanding, lucky person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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