World Sandwich Day was celebrated yesterday (Thursday 3 November), a chance to truly pay tribute to the quick, easy meal.
It can be eaten hot or cold, at any time of the day or night, and one has a variety of breads and fillings from which to choose. Americans eat more than 300 million sandwiches a day, an amazing statistic when you consider that there are only a little over 320 million people living in the US.
To mark the occasion, Chef Charne Wylie from Capsicum Culinary Studio shared her recipe for her favourite sandwich, the Katsu Sando, one of the most popular sandwiches in Japan.
Katsu Sando
¦ Ingredients:
• 2 slices white bread, lightly toasted
• ½ tbsp butter
• ¼ tsp mustard
• 1 piece pork or beef brisket
• pinch of salt and pepper
• ½ tbsp Japanese mayonnaise
• 1½ tbsp water
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
• vegetable oil for frying
• 1 tbsp tonkatsu sauce
• ½ cup shredded cabbage
Method
1. Combine the mayonnaise, butter and mustard in a small mixing bowl and set aside.
2. Place your meat of choice on a chopping board and tenderise with a mallet. Shape the meat to the same size as the bread slice and season with salt and pepper.
3. Combine the egg and water in a medium mixing bowl and whisk.
4. Add flour and mix together to make a batter.
5. Dip the meat into the batter then coat in the breadcrumbs.
6. Heat oil in a frying pan and fry the meat for about eight to 10 minutes. Remove from the oil and place on kitchen paper.
7. Spread the butter, mayonnaise and mustard mixture thinly on both slices of the toasted bread.
8. Place ½ cup of shredded cabbage on one slice.
9. Drizzle the tonkatsu sauce generously on top then cover with the meat.
10. Drizzle more sauce on top of the meat and cover with the second slice of bread.
11. Put a flat plate over the bread and place a weight on top for five minutes so bread soaks up the sauce. Remove plate, cut in half and tuck in!
– Tip: To make tonkatsu sauce, mix 8 tbsp tomato sauce, 2 tbsp soya sauce, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp Japanese sweet wine (mirin), 1½ tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp grated fresh ginger, 1 minced clove garlic. Whisk and let flavours blend for 30 minutes before use.
