Tofu Katsu and Japanese Curry

4.92 from 12 votes

Crispy slabs of tofu katsu enjoyed with some Japanese curry. I used my favourite Japanese curry cubes for this recipe and had it with some steamed short grain rice. Curry is one of my favourite comfort foods and love Japanese-style curry.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 35

Total Time 50

Course Main Course

Cuisine Japanese

Servings

Calories 365 kcal

Ingredients

Japanese Curry

1 tbsp neutral oil
1 onion 80g, sliced
1 small bell pepper, sliced 70g
2 medium potato, peeled and sliced 400g
2 medium eggplant, sliced 150g
1/2 block vegan S&B medium curry (medium hot variant here), feel free to use other curry of choice
3 cups water or more as needed*
Salt to taste

Tofu “Katsu” (makes 4-6 depending on the thickness of the tofu)

1 lb extra firm tofu
Neutral oil for frying
1/2 tsp salt or to taste

Tofu Batter

½ cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp + 2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sweet paprika powder optional
½ cup room temp. water , plus 2-3 tbsp more water if needed

Tofu Breading

1 cup japanese breadcrumbs or more as needed

For serving

Cooked japanese rice or other short-grain rice for serving
Sesame seeds for garnishing

Instructions

Japanese Curry

Heat a pot or pan. I used a claypot.
When hot, add in 1 tbsp oil. Sauté the onion and bell peppers for 2-3 minutes or until aromatic.
Add in the potatoes, eggplant, and water. Add in the block of curry. Mix well.Leave to boil over medium heat. Cover and then stir every few minutes to break down the curry cube. Taste and season with salt as needed since potatoes tend to absorb the flavours well.
Continue to mix and cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes until the sauce thickens. You can cover the pot or pan during this time. Feel free to add more water if you want a thinner curry.
Once the potatoes are cooked through, turn off heat. Serve with tofu cats and japanese rice. Enjoy while hot!

Tofu Katsu (Baking option below!)

You can watch the video below on how to make tofu katsu!
Drain water from the tofu by wrapping them in paper towels and then placing a heavy flat surface (a board or plate) on top of each. Leave for 15 minutes until water has been absorbed by the towels. You can also opt to use a tofu press.
Slice each tofu into 1/2 inch thick square slabs. You may be able to slice one tofu into 3 slabs, depending on the thickness of your tofu. Season with salt as needed. If you end up with extra tofu, you can always enjoy it as is!
Prepare the dry batter mix. Mix everything together, before pouring the water and mixing all the ingredients until smooth.
Add more water if the batter is too thick. It should be a very thick pancake batter consistency.
In another plate or tray, add the breadcrumbs.
Place each tofu in the batter then coat into the breadcrumbs. Repeat this step for the rest of the tofu.
Heat the oil in a frying pan. Once hot (you can test this by putting a little bread crumbs), add in the tofu. Fry for around 6-8 minutes over medium heat until golden brown. Take them out of the oil then turn off the heat.
Let cool for 10-15 minutes to maintain the crispness. Enjoy with some curry and steamed rice!
Baking option: Heat your oven to 350F. Place the coated tofu on a lined baking tray (I used parchment paper). Spray or brush some oil on the tofu. Bake them for 35 to 40 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp. Flip halfway through baking.
Note that they won't turn as evenly golden brown and "juicy" compared to those that are fried in oil but still very crisp.
Air-Frying option: Note that air-fryer settings may vary. This is using a Cuisinart air fryer/toaster oven combo.
To air-fry the tofu, set the air-fryer at 350F then cook for 10 minutes on each side until lightly brown and crisp.

WATCH Video

Notes

Vegetables

Eggplant tends to release water as it cooks, so feel free to add more water if not using eggplant. You can also adjust the water based on your desired consistency.

NUTRITIONAL INFO

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