Air fryer eggplant katsu
Crunchy panko-coated eggplant cutlets from the air fryer with a tangy katsu sauce, fluffy rice and crisp shredded cabbage.
- 45 min total
- 30 min hands-on
- Follow-a-recipe easy
- Serves 2
- About $2.50 a serving
- 700 calories
- Vegetarian
- Dairy-free
Dolly says: Read the steps once before you start. Everything goes smoother after that.
Ingredients
For 2 servings.
- 1 cup jasmine rice
- 1 eggplant, large
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 3 tbsp ketchup
- 2 cups coleslaw mix
- ½ tsp sesame oil
From your pantry
- 1½ cups water
- ¾ tsp salt, divided
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp rice vinegar, divided
Each serving has about 700 calories, 18 g protein, 131 g carbs and 12 g fat, and costs about $2.50 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No jasmine rice? Long-grain white rice or basmati rice works.
- No coleslaw mix? Green cabbage or red cabbage works.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
the rice and bring it with the water and ¼ teaspoon salt in a .
Rinse. Rinsing means running cold water over rice or canned beans in a strainer while you swish them around. It washes off loose starch and can liquid, so rice cooks up fluffy and beans taste clean.
How you’ll know: The water running out goes from cloudy to mostly clear; it doesn’t have to be perfect.
Bring to a boil. It means heating a liquid on high until it’s fully boiling before you move on. A lid on the pot gets it there faster, which makes it a good moment to chop something.
How you’ll know: Big bubbles break all over the surface, and they keep coming when you lift the lid.
Saucepan. A saucepan is a pot with tall, straight sides and one long handle. It’s for things that need depth, like rice, sauces or a few boiled eggs.
How you’ll know: The food fills it about halfway, leaving room to bubble without spilling over.
High heat
Stir once, cover, turn to low and cook 15 minutes.
Low heatTimer: 15 min
the eggplant into ½-inch rounds. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt, lay them on paper towels for 10 minutes, then .
Slice. Slicing means cutting food into flat pieces of about the same thickness. Even slices cook evenly, so none are raw while others burn.
How you’ll know: Lay a few side by side: they’re close to the same thickness from one end to the other.
Pat dry. Patting dry means pressing paper towels onto food to soak up the moisture on its surface. Wet food steams instead of browning, so this is how you get a good sear and crisp skin.
How you’ll know: The surface feels tacky, not wet, and the last paper towel comes away barely damp.
Timer: 10 min
Set up three shallow bowls: the flour, the egg beaten with a fork, and the panko. Coat each in flour, then egg, then press it firmly into the panko.
Slice. Slicing means cutting food into flat pieces of about the same thickness. Even slices cook evenly, so none are raw while others burn.
How you’ll know: Lay a few side by side: they’re close to the same thickness from one end to the other.
Brush the air fryer basket and the tops of the slices with the oil.
Air fry in one layer at 400°F until and tender, 10 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway. Work in batches.
Golden brown. Golden brown is the color of good toast, somewhere between yellow and light brown. It means the outside is cooked and crisp but not burnt.
How you’ll know: It looks like toast and smells toasty; dark brown with a bitter smell means it went too far.
Timer: 11 min
Dolly’s tip: A knife should slide through the middle with no squeak. Firm eggplant means it needs 2 more minutes.Food safety: For the safest eggs, cook until the whites are fully set and the yolks begin to thicken. Dishes made with eggs are done at 160°F.
Meanwhile, stir the ketchup, soy sauce, brown sugar and 1 teaspoon vinegar together for the sauce.
the cabbage with the sesame oil, the last teaspoon of vinegar and of salt.
Toss. Tossing means gently lifting and turning food so everything gets coated, like pasta in sauce or vegetables in oil. It coats every piece evenly without mashing anything.
How you’ll know: Every piece looks glossy or evenly coated, with no dry spots hiding underneath.
Pinch. A pinch is what you can hold between your thumb and two fingers, less than an eighth of a teaspoon. It’s a small, forgiving amount, so there’s no need to measure.
How you’ll know: It’s a light sprinkle you can barely see on the food, not a little pile.
Serve the katsu over the rice with the cabbage alongside and the sauce over.
Drizzle. Drizzling means pouring a thin, slow stream over the top of something. A thin stream spreads a little flavor a long way.
How you’ll know: You see thin lines across the food, not a puddle collecting underneath.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
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