Wagamama have shared the recipe for one of their most beloved dishes, chicken katsu curry, for you to cook the ultimate Japanese comfort food at home.
Cook your favourite Foodie Friday recipe and share on social media, using the hashtag #visitwatford.
Ingredients
For the curry sauce
2–3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
2.5cm piece of ginger, peeled and grated
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 heaped tablespoons mild curry powder
1 tablespoon plain flour
300ml chicken or vegetable stock
100ml coconut milk
1 teaspoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar, to taste
For the chicken & rice
120g Thai jasmine rice
2 skinless chicken breasts
50g plain flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
100g panko breadcrumbs
75ml vegetable oil, for deep-frying
Garnish
40g mixed salad leaves
2 tablespoons Wagamama dressing (see below)
1 tablespoon pickled radish or ginger, or Japanese pickles
Method
1. Start with the katsu curry sauce. Place the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and cook until softened. Lower the heat, add the spices and cook for 2–3 minutes. Add the flour and stir over the heat to cook it out, then slowly add the chicken or vegetable stock. Bring to a simmer and add the coconut milk, soy sauce and sugar, to taste. For a perfectly smooth sauce, pass the mixture through a sieve. The sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
2. With a sharp knife, cut each chicken breast almost in half and open it out like a book. Place both between two pieces of clingfilm and bash with a rolling pin to flatten to about 1cm thick. Place the flour, eggs and breadcrumbs in 3 separate shallow bowls and then dip each chicken breast first in the flour, then the egg and finally the breadcrumbs, ensuring each breast is coated well.
3. Place the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. To test if the oil is hot enough to fry, drop some breadcrumbs into the oil – if they bubble and float to the top, the oil is just right. Deep-fry 1 coated breast at a time, so as not to overcrowd the pan, for 3–4 minutes on each side then transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper to soak up any excess oil. Set aside and keep warm.
4. Cook the rice.
5. To serve, spoon a portion of rice onto 2 serving plates.
Recipe extracted from Wagamama: Feed Your Soul, published by Kyle Books, priced £20.