Tofu Katsu Sandwiches

Ingredients

• 0.25 cup ketchup
• 4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp sugar (Divided; use ½ teaspoon in the sauce and ½ teaspoon with the cabbage.)
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1.5 cup panko bread crumbs (Lightly crushed before coating the tofu.)
• 14 oz extra-firm or firm tofu (Slice crosswise into 8 ½-inch-thick slabs.)
• 0.5 tsp table salt
• 0.75 cup vegetable oil (For frying.)
• 2.5 tsp unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1.5 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 3 cups red or green cabbage (Shredded.)
• 8 soft white sandwich bread (Use 4 slices for the bottoms and 4 slices for the tops.)

Steps

1. 1

   Whisk the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon of the sugar together in a small bowl. Set the sauce aside.

2. 2

   Whisk the eggs and all-purpose flour together in a shallow dish.

3. 3

   Place the panko in a large zipper-lock bag and lightly crush it with a rolling pin. Transfer the crushed panko to a second shallow dish.

4. 4

   Slice the tofu crosswise into 8 slabs, each ½ inch thick. Pat the tofu dry with paper towels and sprinkle it with the table salt.

5. 5

   Working with one tofu slab at a time, dip it into the egg mixture, allowing excess to drip off. Coat all sides with panko, pressing gently so the crumbs adhere. Transfer each coated slab to a large plate.

6. 6

   Place a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet. Line half of the rack with a triple layer of paper towels.

7. 7

   Heat the vegetable oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.

8. 8

   Add the coated tofu slabs to the skillet and cook until deep golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

9. 9

   Transfer the fried tofu to the paper towel-lined side of the rack and let it drain for about 15 seconds per side. Move the tofu to the unlined side of the rack.

10. 10

    Combine the rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, and remaining ½ teaspoon sugar in a large bowl.

11. 11

    Add the shredded cabbage to the bowl and toss to coat it evenly with the dressing.

12. 12

    Arrange the dressed cabbage and fried tofu on 4 slices of bread. Drizzle with the prepared sauce, top with the remaining bread slices, and serve.

Notes

The structured recipe specifies soft white sandwich bread; the accompanying article describes it as a substitute for Japanese milk bread. The recipe does not provide storage or reheating instructions.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• sandwich
• vegetarian
• Japanese-inspired
• fried
• pan-fried
• panko-crusted