Katsudon - Japanese pork schnitzel with egg and onion over rice.

This is one of my make-do mum classics, as it fufills criteria of asian influenced, delicious and cheap.  It is also a great one for when you do not have a lot of fresh veges, as there is usual at least an onion sitting around somewhere.  Do not make the mistake that I did tonight and mix up mirin and Japanese rice vinegar.  The bottles might look similiar but boy do they taste different.  I still have a vaguely fresh and vinegary taste in my mouth.  When made correctly this is just delicious, even cold in a lunchbox.

Katsudon

• Pork schnitzel (comes in smaller pieces than beef schnitzel, you do not want a strip of fat on the edge)
• Japanese panko crumbs (readily available in the Asian section at supermarkets, taste so much better than plain breadcrumbs)
• Mirin (again, look in the Asian section) (1/4 cup)
• Soy sauce (1/2cup)
• Brown sugar (1tsp)
• Eggs (one or two, whisked)
• Leeks (the top green bit, finely sliced)
• Onion (finely sliced)
• Spring onions (finely sliced)
• Japanese rice (otherwise known as sushi rice)

Dredge the schnitzel in flour, then the beaten egg and finally the panko crumbs.  Fry in hot oil until cooked.  Dry on paper towel.  Put the mirin, soy sauce and sugar in a saucepan.  You can add a bit of water if you feel you need a bit more liquid volume in the saucepan (I like a slightly lighter onion and milder taste so tend to use an equal part of water to sauce).  Put in the leek and onions and simmer for about 10 minutes.  Once the onion is translucent throw in the spring onions and then the leftover egg from the crumbing process.  Do not mix.  When the egg has set, assemble the dish.

Put cooked rice in a bowl.  Cut the schnitzel into strips and place on top.  Carefully scoop over a section of the egg and onions.  Spoon over a tiny bit of the cooking liquid.

We often add extra veges to this dish, my husband likes mushrooms with it.  I've added brocolli.

If you have leftovers I make 'rice bears' which are kind of like rice balls/ kid's sushi.  I have a wicked cute Japanese mould for this purpose.  Put a tiny drop of mirin or rice vinegar on a small amount of leftover rice.  Make the first half of the sushi ball with a space in the middle for some of the pork, egg and onion.  Cover with rice and form a ball (or make proper sushi if you like).