Sometimes, nothing hits the spot quite like a Wagamama’s – the chilli squid, yaki soba, teriyaki donburi and of course, the all-time favourite, THE chicken katsu curry.
As part of intu’s fakeaway series, they show you how to whip up a Wagamama classic – the katsu curry with help from their good friends at Wagamama who are revealing their famous katsu recipe via their ‘Wok from home’ series.
The Chicken Katsu Curry:
The katsu curry is a true Wagamama staple and we can’t wait to get in the kitchen and enjoy this at home.
What you’ll need:
½ cup of rice per person (any rice will do)
2 skinless chicken breasts (or breaded chicken for a quicker creation)
50g of plain flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
100g of panko breadcrumbs
75ml of vegetable oil for deep-frying
40g of mixed salad leaves
For the sauce:
2–3 tbsp of vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
2.5cm piece of ginger, peeled & grated
1 tsp of turmeric
2 heaped tbsp of mild curry powder
1 tbsp of plain flour
300ml of chicken or veg stock
100ml of coconut milk
1 tsp of light soy sauce
1 tsp of sugar, to taste
For the garnish:
40g mixed salad leaves
2 tablespoons Wagamama dressing (or use your own shop-bought dressing of choice)
1 tablespoon pickled radish or ginger, or Japanese pickles
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Method:
- Start the cooking preparation with the rice to ensure you get the perfect Wagamama sticky texture. It is important that the ratio of rice to water is correct and, as a rule, this ratio is 2:3. Go for roughly ½ cup of rice per person
- Soak the rice in water for 30 minutes. Place the rice in a sieve and leave to strain for at least 5 minutes to allow excess water to drain.
- To cook, place 540ml waterin a saucepan, cover with a lid and bring to the boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to the lowest setting, add the rice and leave to simmer for 10 minutes. To get the perfect rice, leave it undisturbed during the entire cooking and resting process. Take the pan off the heat and set aside with the lid still on for a further 10 minutes.
- Whilst the rice is cooking, it’s time to make the katsu curry sauce. Place the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat.
- Add the onion, garlic and ginger and cook until softened.
- Lower the heat, add the spices and cook for 2–3 minutes.
- Add the flour and stir over the heat to cook it out, then slowly add the chicken or vegetable stock. Bring to a simmer and add the coconut milk, soy sauce and sugar, to taste.
Top tip: To get perfectly smooth sauce, pass the mixture through a sieve. Any additional sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. (Although if its anything like the dining in experience, you’re bound to want extra sauce!).
- With a sharp knife, cut each chicken breast almost in half and open it out like a book. Place the chicken between two pieces of clingfilm and bash with a rolling pin to flatten (about 1cm thick).
- Place the flour, eggs and breadcrumbs in 3 separate shallow bowls and then dip each chicken breast first in the flour, then the egg and finally the breadcrumbs, ensuring each breast is coated well.This is the perfect step to get the kids involved with, giving each a different job along the coating journey.
- Put oil in saucepan over a medium-high heat. Deep-fry 1 coated breast at a time, so as not to overcrowd the pan, for 3–4 minutes on each side then transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper to soak up any excess oil. Once cooked, set aside and keep warm.
- To serve your katsu curry, spoon a portion of rice onto 2 serving plates. With a sharp knife, slice the deep-fried chicken breasts into strips at an angle and arrange on top of the rice.
- Ladle the curry sauce over the chicken and rice and place the salad on the side with a drizzle of dressing and a little pickled radish. Serve immediately.
- To make the Wagamama dressing place 2 tsp finely chopped shallots, a 2.5cm peeled and grated piece of ginger, 1 crushed garlic clove, 1 1/2 tbsp rice wine vinegar, 1 tbsp tomato ketchup, 1 tbsp water, 100ml vegetable oil and 3 tbsp light soy sauce in a bowl or large jar and whisk together until smooth. Once made, this dressing can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Top tip: This recipe is mild so, if you like a little heat, add some chilli powder whilst the sauce is simmering and a splash of sriracha (or other chilli sauce) once it is cooked.
