Lacto-Fermenation is one of the oldest food preservation methods still regularly used. It is not Witchcraft or Sorcery and it's effective tasty and pretty much bullet proof. If it tastes good, then it's good. Plus the resultant pickles have the benefit of home made probiotics. Lacto-Fermentation has nothing to do with dairy products, the lacto refers to lactic acid. All fruits and vegetables have beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus on the surface. In an anaerobic (oxygen-free) environment, these bacteria convert sugars into lactic acid, which inhibits harmful bacteria and acts as a preservative. It's also what gives fermented foods their characteristic sour flavour. The earliest record of fermentation dates back as far as 6000 B.C. in the Fertile Crescent -and nearly every civilization since has included at least one fermented food in its culinary heritage. From Korean kimchi and Indian chutneys to the ubiquitous sauerkraut.
We’re learning little snippets on information from our “100 Asian Recipes” gig, which is surely good for the mind? Tonkatsu is actually derived from two Japanese words - Ton “Pig, Pork” + Katsu “Cutlet”. Pretty descriptive really!
Ingredients Tonkatsu Sauce:-
70g of Tomato Ketchup
2 Tbsp of Worcestershire Sauce
2 Tsp of Sugar
2 Tbsp of Soy Sauce
½ Tsp of Dijon Mustard
¼ Tsp of Garlic Powder
1 Tbsp of Rice Wine
Method:-
(1) Mix all the ingredients together!
Ingredients Tonkatsu Pork:-
400g of Pork Fillet, cut into pieces
2 Tbsp of Plain Flour (Gluten free for us)
2 Eggs
½ Tbsp of Oil
70g of Breadcrumbs (Gluten free for us)
Buttermilk
Japanese Seven Spice
Oil to fry
Salt & Pepper to season
Method:-
(1) cover each piece of fillet top and bottom with cling-film and beat with a rolling pin to flatten.
(2) Season the Pork with Salt and Pepper then soak in Buttermilk for at least an hour in the fridge.
(3) Season the Flour with Japanese Seven Spice.
(4) Beat the Eggs and whisk in ½ a tablespoon of Oil.
(5) Remove the Pork from the Buttermilk and coat in the Flour.
(6) Dunk each piece of fillet in the Egg wash and finally coat in Breadcrumbs.
(7) Heat enough Oil in a large frying pan to deep fry the fillets.
(8) Cook on both sides until golden and crispy.
There is a British Pork offer on at the moment at a local supermarket. So this whole Pork Fillet cost us just over £2. A bit of a salad and some shredded White Cabbage are hardly bank breakers and we had everything else in store, as it were. Yesterday it was very hot and humid in the evening and this style of light dish worked really well.
