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Tofu Katsu with Curry Sauce

Tofu Katsu with Curry Sauce reads umami 6.4, salinity 4.9 and allium 4.8 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Japanese main, about 48 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 7.1 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 4.4 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 2.0 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.2 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 4.3 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 5.3 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 6.4 · Salinity 4.9 · Allium 4.8 · Sweetness 4.1 · Richness 4.0 · Warm Spice 2.6 · Funk & Ferment 2.3 · Earthy 2.0 · Sourness 1.8 · Floral 1.3 · Herbaceous 1.2 · Bitterness 1.2 · Fruity 1.1 · Nutty 0.9 · Heat 0.8 · Citrus 0.5

What's in it (16)

• extra-firm tofu — 397 g
• salt — 5 g
• vegetable oil — 82 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• carrots — 120 g
• russet potato — 170 g
• garlic — 9 g
• ginger — 15 g
• all-purpose flour — 60 g
• curry powder — 44 g
• low-sodium beef broth — 710 g
• soy sauce — 15 g
• ketchup — 15 g
• eggs — 200 g
• bread crumbs italian style — 355 g
• short-grain rice — 532 g

Time & effort: about 48 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 171.3 kcal, 5.7 g protein, 5.1 g fat, 25.8 g carbs

Dietary: Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (7 steps)

1. Wrap the tofu block in a few layers of paper towels, set a heavy skillet or plate on top, and let it press for 15 minutes to squeeze out excess water — this is what keeps the crust from steaming off later. Unwrap, cut into 4 even slabs, and season both sides with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and potato and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and turning translucent, 6-7 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Push the vegetables to the side, add 2 tablespoons of the flour and the curry powder to the cleared spot, and toast, stirring into the oil, 1 minute — this cooks off the raw flour taste and blooms the spices before any liquid goes in.
4. Stir everything together, then pour in the vegetable broth, soy sauce, and ketchup. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the potato is fork-tender, 15-18 minutes, stirring once or twice. Uncover for the last 3-4 minutes to let the sauce thicken slightly, then season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.
5. While the curry simmers, set up a breading station: put the remaining flour in one shallow dish, the beaten eggs in a second, and the panko in a third. Dredge each tofu slab in flour, tap off the excess, dip in egg, then press firmly into the panko to coat both sides.
6. Heat the remaining 4 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, about 350F — a pinch of panko should sizzle on contact. Pan-fry the tofu in batches, 3-4 minutes per side, until deeply golden and crisp; drain on a paper-towel-lined plate.
7. Slice each katsu slab crosswise into strips. Spoon the rice into bowls, lay the sliced katsu on top, and ladle the curry sauce generously over and alongside; serve hot.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie with Lentils — British
• Yaki Udon with Chicken and Vegetables — Japanese
• Japanese Curry with Beef and Potatoes — Japanese
• Italian Wedding Soup — Italian
• Andong Jjimdak (Braised Chicken with Glass Noodles and Dried Chile) — Korean

Keep reading: what umami, salinity, allium mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.