Fish Katsu With Kimchi Tartar Sauce

Chef notes

Like most people, I love the crunchy, breaded texture of good katsu (fried panko-crusted cutlets). Most people know pork and chicken katsu, but fish katsu is amazing. I love it with rice and shredded cabbage, but if you put the katsu on a burger bun with butter lettuce and tartar sauce, you can make the best fish fillet sandwich ever. When shopping for the fish, look for the freshest mild, flaky whitefish. If cod isn't available, flounder is a great alternative. I have always preferred white pepper to black, and here it blends better with the pale fish and sauce, giving everything a more gentle peppery bite. But if black pepper is what you stock in your kitchen, I won't stop you from using it here.

Technique tip: The basic technique of breading anything is keeping one hand for the dry ingredients (flour and breadcrumbs) and the other for the egg. In this recipe, designate one hand for dipping the fish into egg and the other hand for dredging the fish in the flour and panko.