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COOK THE COVER
Pork Katsu Sandwich
MAKES 4 The koji brine deeply seasons
the pork and keeps it juicy. You can skip
this step, but we highly recommend it.
PORK
12 oz. boneless pork loin, fat trimmed
¼" thick
⅓ cup shio koji seasoning
2 tsp. kosher saltASSEMBLY
½ small head of green cabbage,
core removed, very thinly sliced
(about 3 cups)
2 Meyer lemons or regular lemons
Kosher salt
2 large eggs, beaten to blend
3 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1 cup all-purpose flour
Vegetable oil (for frying; about
6 cups)
Tonkatsu sauce, preferably
Bull-Dog, and Dijon mustard
(for serving)
8 ½"-thick slices milk bread, crusts
removedINGREDIENT INFO: Shio koji, a fermented
seasoning made of rice koji, salt,
and water, can be found at Japanese
markets, in the Asian foods section
of some supermarkets, and online.
PORK Slice pork crosswise into
4 medallions. Place between 2 sheets
of plastic wrap; gently pound with
a meat mallet to 5"-wide pieces.
Whisk koji, salt, and 1 cup water in a
medium bowl until salt dissolves. Add
pork; cover and chill at least 8–24 hours.
ASSEMBLY Drain pork (no need to rinse
off koji if it sticks); set aside. Place
cabbage in a medium bowl. Finely grate
lemon zest over; slice lemons in half and
squeeze in the juice. Season cabbage
with salt. Using your hands, toss and
squeeze cabbage until slightly wilted,
about 5 minutes. Chill until ready to use.
Place eggs, panko, and flour in
3 separate shallow bowls. Whisk 2 Tbsp.
water into eggs. Line a rimmed baking
sheet with paper towels and set a wire
rack inside; place near stovetop. Working
with 1 piece of reserved pork at a time,
dredge in flour, shaking off excess. Dip in
eggs, letting excess drip back into bowl,
then coat in panko, pressing to adhere
before shaking off excess. Transfer to
another rimmed baking sheet or a platter.
Pour oil into a medium heavy pot to
come 2" up sides. Heat oil over medium-
high until an instant-read thermometer
registers 350°–365°. Carefully lower a
piece of pork vertically into skillet, letting
it slide away from you into oil until it
eventually lies flat. Cook, using tongs to
keep meat submerged in oil, until golden
brown underneath, about 1 minute.
Using tongs, carefully turn over and cook
until golden brown on the other side,
about 1 minute. Transfer to prepared
baking sheet; immediately season with salt.
Repeat with remaining pieces of pork.
Drizzle tonkatsu sauce over cutlets.
Spread mustard on 1 side of half of
bread slices; top with cabbage mixture,
then cutlet, sauce side up. Close
sandwiches and slice each into thirds.Shishito Pepper–Pistachio Dip
4 SERVINGS The chefs at Konbi serve
this creamy dip with crunchy vegetables,
but we found it’s also great with meat,
spread on sandwiches, or thinned out
and used as a dressing for salad.⅔ cup raw pistachios
6 scallions, chopped
12 oz. shishito peppers (about
5 cups), seeds removed,
coarsely chopped
4 cups carrot tops or parsley
leaves with tender stems
1 toasted nori sheet, coarsely torn
2 Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar
2 Tbsp. white soy sauce
¼ cup vegetable oil
Crunchy vegetables (such as
carrots, radishes, celery, and/or
cucumbers; for serving)INGREDIENT INFO: White soy sauce,
also known as white shoyu, is lighter
in color and flavor than standard soy
sauce. It can be found at Japanese
markets, in the Asian foods section of
some supermarkets, and online.Preheat oven to 350°. Toast pistachios
on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing
halfway through, until golden brown,
about 5 minutes. Let cool; set aside.
Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of
water to a boil. Boil scallions, peppers,
and carrot tops until peppers are tender,
about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon,
transfer to a bowl of ice water and let
cool. Drain and squeeze out as much
excess water with your hands as possible.
Transfer to a plate and chill in freezer 5
minutes (this will keep the dip bright green).Finely grind nori in a blender; transfer
to a small bowl. Wipe out blender, then
blend vinegar, soy sauce, and reserved
nuts in blender until nuts are coarsely
chopped. Add chilled vegetable mixture
and blend, streaming in oil, until very
smooth (this may take up to 4 minutes,
depending on your blender). If mixture
seems thick, add 1 Tbsp. water to loosen.
Transfer dip to a bowl and sprinkle
with nori powder. Serve with vegetables
alongside for dipping.Turnips With Spicy
Meyer Lemon Dressing
4 SERVINGS Try the sweet, salty
togarashi-spiked dressing tossed with
cold noodles or spooned over fish.2 cups bonito flakes
½ cup sugar
½ cup usukuchi (light) soy sauce
¼ cup mirin (sweet Japanese
rice wine)
1 Tbsp. ichimi togarashi
Zest and juice of 4 Meyer
lemons or regular lemons
(about ½ cup juice)
2 bunches hakurei turnips with tops
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
Kosher salt
Toasted sesame seeds (for serving)INGREDIENT INFO: Ichimi togarashi, a
red-pepper-forward seasoning mix, can
be found at Japanese markets, in the
Asian foods section of some supermarkets,
and online.Preheat oven to 425°. Grind bonito
flakes in a spice mill or blender until finely
ground (you should have about 2 Tbsp.).
Bring ground bonito, sugar, soy sauce,
mirin, and togarashi to a boil in a medium
saucepan. Reduce heat to medium and
simmer, stirring often, until reduced by
a third, 12–15 minutes. Pour dressing into
a small bowl; cover and chill until cold,
at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days.
Stir in lemon zest and juice.
Meanwhile, separate tops from
turnips. Trim stems from leaves; discard.
Coarsely chop leaves. Cut turnips into
1" wedges. Toss turnips and leaves with
oil on a rimmed baking sheet; season
lightly with salt (the dressing is salty).
Roast, tossing halfway through, until
leaves are wilted and turnips have taken
on a touch of color, 12–15 minutes.
Transfer turnips and leaves to a platter;
spoon some of the dressing over (you’ll
have extra). Sprinkle with sesame seeds.ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY ANDY BARAGHANI AND JESSE SPARKS