50 gm (⁄ cup) plain flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
60 gm 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 (⁄ 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, coarsely
chopped
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 melt
SERVES 4 // PREP TIME 30 MINS // COOK 20 MINS PLUS PICKLING, CHILLING
“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.
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.
Note Tonkatsu sauce is
available from Asian grocers.
Beer suggestion A Mountain
Goat Organic Steam Ale.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 o
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.