Pork Katsu Onigirazu, also known as Tonkatsu Sushi Sandwich. A crispy piece of panko breaded pork wrapped in sushi rice, nori seasoned with tonkatsu sauce, Japanese mayo and salt.
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What is Pork Katsu Onigirazu?
Pork Katsu Onigirazu is a delicious sushi sandwich that contains crispy pork katsu (aka tonkatsu in Japanese) with refreshing crisp cucumbers with sweet tonkatsu sauce and creamy kewpie mayo. The warm layer of rice, crunchy seaweed really compliments the savory pork cutlet and the sweet tonkatsu sauce really ties everything together. Onigirazu is a popular Japanese dish that you can find at select Japanese convenience stores or Japanese restaurants. Some Japanese places specialize in selling this particular rice sandwich with a variety of fillings. Fillings can include tuna mayo, spicy tuna mayo, chicken katsu, veggies, tofu katsu, and more! I love making this dish whenever I have some leftover cooked rice. I find it's really filling and satisfying!
Ingredients
- Nori
- Cooked short grain rice: Japanese short grain rice.
- Cucumber
- Tonkatsu Sauce: store-bought
- Japanese mayo or kewpie mayo
- Salt
Tonkatsu
- Pork loin
- Cornstarch: or potato starch or all purpose flour
- Egg
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Neutral oil: like vegetable oil, avocado oil or any scentless oil with a high smoke point
Note: Your Asian grocery stores will carry most of the Asian specific ingredients.
How to make Pork Katsu Onigirazu
Prepare Pork Katsu
Pat dry your pork loins. Prepare your dredging stations by placing cornstarch in one shallow bowl, beaten eggs in another and panko breadcrumbs in the third. Evenly coat each piece of your pork loin into the cornstarch (shaking off excess flour), then eggs and lastly panko breadcrumbs.
Fry Pork
In a large frying pan set over medium heat, add oil. Check if oil it hot enough by dipping a wooden chopstick into it and look for bubbles. Then carefully lower the coated pork loins into the hot oil. Fry on both sides for 3-4 minutes until golden brown. Remove pork and place onto a cooling rack to allow the excess oil to drip off.
Lay out Plastic Wrap & Nori
Lay out a sheet of plastic wrap or cling wrap (approx. 15 inches by 12 inches) onto a chopping board. Then place a sheet of nori, rough side up, onto the cling film.
Add Rice to Nori
Add ⅓ cup of warm cooked sushi rice in the middle of the nori sheet and shape it into a diamond or square shape.
Season Rice
Sprinkle salt on top of the rice. Squeeze about ½ tablespoon of tonkatsu sauce and ½ tablespoon of Japanese mayo over the rice.
Layer Cucumbers & Pork Katsu
Then place 6 pieces of thinly sliced cucumbers over the sauce, followed by pork katsu.
Wrap it Up
Wrap the ends toward the middle like an envelope. Then wrap the cling film tightly around the sandwich.
Slice in Half
Using a sharp knife, cut the onigirazu in half. Repeat for the remaining ingredients. Serve and enjoy!
Storage
This is best consumed same day. However, if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container and it will last up to 1-3 days. The next day, remove the piece of plastic wrap and microwave until warm. But keep in mind that the nori will become soggy.
Expert Tips
- Use thinly sliced pork loins. This will reduce the cooking time.
- Coat pork evenly ensuring no bald spots.
- Cook tonkatsu over medium heat and no higher. When you crank up the heat, this will result in undercooked pork with a burnt or overly browned breaded coating.
- Allow the pork katsu to rest on a wire rack or paper towel lined plate to remove excess oil. Excess oil makes anything deep fried soggy.
- Use warm same-day cooked rice to prevent the sushi sandwich from falling apart. When rice is refrigerated overnight, it loses moisture, and you’ll need that moisture to make these sushi sandwiches.
- Place your nori rough side up on plastic wrap. This lets the rice stick to the nori better.
- Do not over fill your sushi sandwich. Only use the specified amounts or your sandwich will come apart.
- Wrap the cling film around the onigirazu tightly and slice in half with a very sharp knife.
FAQ
How do you eat Onigirazu?
It is eaten at room temperature by hand, like a sandwich.
What is the difference between onigirazu vs onigiri?
Onigiri is also made of sushi rice, nori, salt and a filling of your choice; however, the main difference is the shape. It’s not a sushi sandwich like onigirazu. The filled rice is shaped into a triangle then wrapped in a nori.
Other recipes you may like!
- Japanese Tuna Onigiri
- Folded Kimbap
- Pork Belly Kimbap
- Korean Egg Roll Kimbap
- Spicy Tuna Kimbap
- Deconstructed Tuna Kimbap Bowl
- Korean Tuna Mayo Deopbap
📖 Recipe
Pork Katsu Onigirazu
Ingredients
- 6 sheets nori
- 2 cups cooked short grain rice
- ½ cucumber sliced thinly
- 3 tablespoon Tonkatsu sauce store bought
- 3 tablespoon Japanese mayo or regular mayonnaise
- salt
Tonkatsu
- 6 small pork loins about 4 x 3 inches per piece
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch or as needed
- 1 large egg beaten
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs or as needed
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil or any neutral oil
Instructions
- Pat dry your pork loins. Prepare your dredging stations by placing cornstarch in one shallow bowl, beaten eggs in another and panko breadcrumbs in the third. Evenly coat each piece of your pork loin into the cornstarch, then eggs and lastly panko breadcrumbs.
- In a large pan set over medium heat, add oil. Check if oil it hot enough by dipping a wooden chopstick into it and look for bubbles. Then carefully lower the coated pork loins into the hot oil.
- Fry on both sides for 3-4 minutes until golden brown. Remove pork and place onto a cooling rack to allow the excess oil to drip off.
To assemble Onigirazu:
- Place a sheet of cling film (approx. 15 inches by 12 inches) onto a cutting board. Then place a sheet of nori, rough side up onto the cling film.
- Add ⅓ cup of warm cooked sushi rice in the middle of the nori and shape it into a diamond
- Season the rice with a sprinkle of salt. Add ½ tablespoon of tonkatsu sauce and ½ tablespoon of Japanese mayo over the rice.
- Then place 6 pieces of thinly sliced cucumbers over the sauce, followed by tonkatsu or pork katsu.
- Wrap the ends toward the middle like an envelope. Then wrap the cling film tightly around the sandwich.
- Using a sharp knife, cut the onigirazu in half. Repeat for the remaining ingredients. Serve and enjoy!
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