I watch little television but I am obsessed with Midnight Diner on Netflix. I recently discovered that it was released for viewing in a different order to when they were made so I’ve actually stumbled across a series I didn’t even know what there.
SUCH a great surprise and such a treat to get to binge-watch a whole new-to-me ten episodes!
I love everything about it. I love it so much I watch the intro every time. I love that each episode is short (I have the attention span of a gnat). I love the little stories, and connections.
Sometimes I also make the recipe from the episode - previously I made the chicken fried rice stuffed omelette, omurice. I’m tempted to go back right back to the start (in the correct order this time and make everything). Now that might be a good project!
Sometimes I can laugh, cry and then make a new recipe as with episode 1 of season 3.
As soon as I saw the minced meat cutlets I wanted to try them.
They’re so easy, really good with a lovely crunch and would perfect for kids too - a really good family dinner. And they’re kind of fun to make as well with the mixing and then the dipping etc.
To make four cutlets you’ll need:
approx 125g each of pork mince and beef mince
1/4 white onion, finely chopped
Worcestershire sauce and/or tabasco (both optional)
salt and pepper
breadcrumbs
1 egg, beaten
plain flour
cooking oil
You could use just beef mince or just pork mince but the mixture works really well and I read yesterday that in Japan you can actually buy a pack of it ready minced!
I’ve put the quantities as roughly 125g of each but that’s not exact and if it’s easier, it’s probably around a handful of each. Also, I didn’t weigh mine out - I had a 500g pack of each mince so just by eye halved it and then halved again, ie used a quarter.
I was trying to make that simple but think I’ve actually made it sound complicated! It’s honestly not!
Mix the minces with the chopped onion, some salt and pepper and a dash or two each of Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco - if liked. If not, just leave them out. Really squish and mix it all together - I find it easiest to use my hands but I know some people don’t like touching meat so of course you can use spoons or something.
You can buy breadcrumbs or just whizz up a couple of slices or a hunk of bread in the blender or food processor.
And then get the dipping bowls ready: one with the breadcrumbs, one with a beaten egg and one with some plain flour.
Divide the meat mixture into four, roll each into a ball and flatten out.
Then dip each first into the flour, then into the egg and then into the breadcrumbs.
Ooh just before we cook the cutlets let’s talk quickly about what to serve them with. I understand that traditionally it’s with tonkatsu sauce, which you can buy, or quickly make by mixing:
1 tablespoon ketchup
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
Stir it all together and taste - add more of anything to get the flavour as you like it.
I also really like this with tartar sauce. I make a sort of very simple version just mixing mayonnaise with white wine vinegar.
Today I added some chopped lettuce and cucumber straight into this dressing to coat it all evenly so the salad was already dressed before adding to the plate.
OK, back to the cutlets.
Put a non-stick pan over a medium heat and add quite a lot of oil. When a breadcrumb dropped into the hot oil sizzles, add the cutlets and cook for three minutes each side, maybe four if your cutlets are thicker.
Serve drizzled with tonkatsu sauce with finely chopped cabbage and some sliced tomato on the side.
Or have with tartar sauce, salad and chips.
Or have in a bread roll like a crunchy burger.
Or whatever else you think would be good.
I mean really these are so good you could just eat them on their own.
