Katsudon (tonkatsu + donburi)
“Katsudon” (or “katsu-don”) is a Japanese dish that takes its name from the words tonkatsu (for pork cutlet) and donburi (for rice bowl dish). A deep-fried pork cutlet is placed in a rice bowl along with egg and vegetables. Tonkatsu sauce is often added.
“Katsu-don (pork cutlets and rice)” was printed in the Arizona Daily Star (Tucson, AZ) on May 26, 1957. “Our favorite dish (at San Francisco’s Cho-Cho restaurant—ed.) is Katsudon (with Misoshiru or osumashi and oshinko)” was printed in the San Mateo (CA) Times on July 29, 1960. “Our choice (at San Francisco’s Cho-Cho restaurant—ed.) is Katsudon (prime rib slice, deep fried in batter, finished in casserole with Katsu sauce)” was printed in the San Mateo (CA) Times on January 6, 1961.
“Udon” noodles aren’t part of katsudon. “It’s KATSU-don, not kats-UDON” was posted on the newsgroup rec.food.cooking on October 31, 1997.
Wikipedia: Katsudon
Katsudon (カツ丼) is a popular Japanese food, a bowl of rice topped with a deep-fried pork cutlet, egg, vegetables, and condiments.
The dish takes its name from the Japanese words tonkatsu (for pork cutlet) and donburi (for rice bowl dish).
It has become a modern tradition for Japanese students to eat katsudon the night before taking a major test or school entrance exam. This is because “katsu” is a homophone of the verb 勝つ katsu, meaning “to win” or “to be victorious”. It is also a famous gag of Japanese police films: many people think that suspects will speak the truth with tears when they have eaten katsudon and are asked, “Did you ever think about how your mother feels about this?” Even nowadays, the gag of “We must eat katsudon while interrogating” is popular in Japanese films.
26 May 1957, Arizona Daily Star (Tucson, AZ), “Japanese Girl Pleads For GI,” pg. A2, col. 4:
He loves Japanese meals, particularly katsu-don (pork cutlets and rice) and sukiyaki (beef and onions).
31 May 1957, Hartford (CT) Courant, “GI Involved In Japan Shooting Hits U. S. Army,” pg. 26, col. 7:
... often bringing such delicacies as Sukiyaki (cooked beef) or Katsudon (pork cutlets with rice).
29 July 1960, San Mateo (CA) Times, “Cho-Cho For Japanese Chow,” pg. 21, col. 2:
(Cho-Cho, 1020 Kearny Street, San Francisco.—ed.)
Our favorite dish is Katsudon (with Misoshiru or osumashi and oshinko).
6 January 1961, San Mateo (CA) Times, “Bright Lights” by Lloyd Johnson, pg. 34, col. 6:
Our choice (at San Francisco’s Cho-Cho restaurant—ed.) is Katsudon (prime rib slice, deep fried in batter, finished in casserole with Katsu sauce).
5 July 1961, San Mateo (CA) Post, “Bright Lights” by Lloyd Johnson, pg. 10, col. 6:
This is an out-and-out plug for one of the tastiest Japanese dishes: Katsudon served with Misoshiru at the San Francisco Cho-Cho.
19 August 1961, San Francisco (CA) Chronicle, “S. F.‘s New Japanese Restaurant,” pg. 9, col. 5:
(Bush Garden, at the corner of Bush and Stockton.—ed.)
Or, for more experimental diners, there is exotic Lobster Misoyaki and subtle Katsu Don.
8 November 1968, New York (NY) Times, “Whether You Plan to Eat Out or Cook at Home: A Directory to Dining” by Craig Claiborne, pg. 54, col. 4:
(Chic-Teri, 141 East 47th Street.—ed.)
There is tempura, sukiyaki, beef teriyaki and katsu-don, which is a pork cutlet.
Google Books
New York on $5 & $10 a Day
By Joan M. Feldman and Norma Ketay
New York, NY: A. Frommer
1969
Pg. 68:
Two of the city’s best Japanese restaurants are in the area; with the cheaper of offerings being available at lunchtime at the tony (only 18 tables) Tonkatsu, 9 East 32nd Street (between Fifth and Madison Avenues, phone 889-5385), whose specials at that meal include noodles with fried shrimp ($1.50), katsu-don pork cutlet with vegetables and “mixed” eggs ($1.90), sashimi (sliced raw fish with soy sauce) for $1.75; soups for 30; desserts for 25¢.
Google Books
Roads Into Folklore:
Festschrift in Honor of Richard M. Dorson, Issue 14
Edited by Richard A. Reuss and Jens Lund
Bloomington, IN: Folklore Forum
1975
Pg. 44:
It was “katsudon,” which is a big bowlful of rice with a fried piece of beef dripped in tasty soy juice on top.
Google Books
Harrap’s Japanese Phrase Book
By Mami Crocket and Tom Mitford
New York, NY: Prentice Hall Press
1990
Pg. 27:
katsudon
deep-fried pork on rice
Google Groups: uiuc.gourmand
Katsudon recipe
Richard Masoner
6/22/94
KATSUDON (my fave Japanese dish)
1/8 t. dashi no moto (fish & seaweed powder, gives it that Japanese flavor)
1 t. sugar
2 T shoyu (soy sauce)
2 T mirin (a sake + sugar sauce)
small onion, thinly sliced
tonkatsu, sliced (see below)
egg, scrambled
cooked Japanese rice in serving bowl (Calrose is also good)
a few cooked peas (fresh/frozen, not canned) for garnish
Mix the dashi powder, 1/3 cup water, sugar, shoyu and mirin. Pour this sauce into a skillet along with the sliced onion. Place the sliced tonkatsu in the sauce. When the sauce starts getting bubbly (don’t let it get to a fast boil), pour the egg over the pork and sauce. When the egg sets, slide this whole mess on top of the rice in the serving bowl. Garnish with some peas. Enjoy!
Google Groups: rec.food.cooking
Japanese Food: KATSUDON??
Matthew R. Sommer
10/31/97
(...)
it’s KATSU-don, not kats-UDON… i’ve also seen it in some restaurants referred to as “katsu-ju”, but the dish i’m talking about is a rice dish, with pork cutlet and a sauce on top… the cutlet i can manage… it’s really the rice-part/sauce recipe i really need i guess! The ingredients are yellow onions, peas… and egg, i don’t know the exact steps to take.
YouTube
How to Make Katsudon (Pork Tonkatsu Rice Bowl Recipe) | Cooking with Dog
Cooking with Dog
Published on Dec 2, 2008
This Katsudon, deep-fried pork cutlet bowl has a perfect balance of sweetness and saltiness!
Remastered New Katsudon Video
https://youtu.be/YclrFezWVYk
How to Make Katsudon
http://cookingwithdog.com/recipe/kats…
(serves 1)
- Tonkatsu (Pork Cutlet) -
120g (4¼ oz) 1cm thick Pork Loin Slice
A sprinkle of Salt and Pepper
All-Purpose Flour for dusting
¼ Egg
A sprinkle of Water
Nama-Panko - Soft Bread Crumbs
Frying Oil (Vegetable Oil) (340 °F/170 °C)
50ml Water (1.7 fl oz)
A pinch of Kombu or Bonito Stock Powder
1 tbsp Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Mirin
1 tsp Sugar
70g Onion (2½ oz)
1 Egg
Mitsuba Parsley
200g Fresh Steamed Rice (7 oz)
YouTube
Katsudon Recipe - Japanese Cooking 101
JapaneseCooking101
Published on Sep 18, 2014
This video will show you how to make Katsudon. Katsudon is a rice bowl (donburi) topped with Tonkatsu and eggs cooked in a sweet and salty broth.
Full recipe here: http://www.japanesecooking101.com/kat...