Name: JoyBird’s katsu melt
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 50 gm (⅓ cup) plain flour; 2 eggs; 60 gn panko crumbs; Vegetable oil, for deep-frying; 180 gm mozzarella; 1 tsp butter; 4 brioche burger buns, cut in half; Tonkatsu sauce (See note), to serve; Pickled zucchini; 2 zucchini, thinly sliced lengthways on a mandoline; 80 ml (⅓ cup) apple cider vinegar; 50 gm caster sugar; ½ tsp coriander seeds; ½ tsp ground turmeric; Chicken patties; 20 gm (2 tbsp) coarsely chopped onion; 20 gm ginger (about 4cm), coarsely chopped; 3 garlic cloves; 500 gm minced chicken; 20 gm panko crumbs; 1 tsp soy sauce; Slaw; 75 gm Chinese cabbage (white part only) thinly sliced; 1½ tbsp mayonnaise

“Katsu sando is in my top five things to eat in Japan,” says Liston. “This is our take on a hybrid katsu sando and a crumbed-meatball burger.” Start this recipe a day ahead to pickle the zucchini.

Ingredients

50 gm (⅓ cup) plain flour

2 eggs

60 gn panko crumbs

Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

180 gm mozzarella

1 tsp butter

4 brioche burger buns, cut in half

Tonkatsu sauce (See note), to serve

Pickled zucchini

2 zucchini, thinly sliced lengthways on a mandoline

80 ml (⅓ cup) apple cider vinegar

50 gm caster sugar

½ tsp coriander seeds

½ tsp ground turmeric

Chicken patties

20 gm (2 tbsp) coarsely chopped onion

20 gm ginger (about 4cm), coarsely chopped

3 garlic cloves

500 gm minced chicken

20 gm panko crumbs

1 tsp soy sauce

Slaw

75 gm Chinese cabbage (white part only) thinly sliced

1½ tbsp mayonnaise

Method

1.For pickled zucchini, toss zucchini with 2 pinches of salt and leave for 15 minutes to soften. Combine remaining ingredients with 50ml water. Drain zucchini (discarding any liquid), toss ribbons with vinegar mixture and refrigerate to pickle until needed.

2.For chicken patties, pound onion, ginger and garlic to a fine paste with a mortar and pestle, then combine in a bowl with chicken, panko crumbs, soy sauce, 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper. Lift chicken mixture out of the bowl and throw it back in, slapping it against the side of the bowl and repeating until mixture is thoroughly combined and firm. With slightly wet hands, shape into four 1cm-thick patties.

3.Place flour, egg and panko crumbs into separate bowls. Coat patties in flour, shaking off excess, then egg, then crumbs. Transfer to a plate and chill to firm up (15 minutes).

4.Preheat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat to 190°C.Preheat grill to high. Deep-fry patties in batches until golden and cooked through (3 minutes; be careful, hot oil will spit). Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

5.For slaw, combine ingredients in a bowl and season to taste.

6.Slice four thin slices from mozzarella and coarsely grate remaining. Scatter grated cheese over patties, transfer to an oven tray lined with foil and grill until mozzarella has just melted (30 seconds to 1 minute).

7.Meanwhile, heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat, add butter and melt, then fry mozzarella slices until just golden around the edges (30-40 seconds). Place bun tops cut-side down on cheese and fry, turning once, until light golden (20-30 seconds each side).

8.Serve patties in buns with slaw, drained zucchini pickles and tonkatsu sauce to taste.