recipe: tonkatsu with cole slaw

this is one of the least skillful dinners that i ever make, and i'm almost embarrassed to post it online. however, on a cold fall night there is something particularly compelling about postwar japanese comfort food. i'm not even sure i should include a recipe - doesn't everyone know how to cut, flatten, and fry pork cutlets, make cole slaw, and steam rice? the secret ingredient, of course, is bulldog tonkatsu sauce, available at your local asian market. if you're never had tonkatsu, the sauce tastes like a thin steak sauce - maybe a bit more pruney.

nostalgic tangent: as a young child i used to make aspecial dipping sauce for my french fries whenever we'd go to hoss's. half steak sauce and half ketchup. for some reason, it's a very evocative taste.

anyhow.

tonkatsu:
3/4lb boneless pork, divided into small cutlets and flattened
milk
flour
panko
salt
pepper
neutral oil

dip cutlets into milk, flour, milk, and panko. make sure to press the panko on firmly, as it's not particularly adherent. i don't like using egg on my cutlets, but you're certainly allowed to. fry individually in plenty of hot oil, turning once. don't overcook.

coleslaw:
1/3 of a small head of cabbage
1 large carrot
mayonnaise
cream
sriracha
honey
vinegar
salt
pepper

.........make dressing out of the things that look dressing-y and cut up the things that look vegetable-y. i like my cabbage shredded and my carrot microplaned. it's coleslaw. follow your own personal guidelines.

serve with plenty of rice and tonkatsu sauce. serves two, with a little leftover.