Japanese Curry Arancini with Tonkatsu Sauce

Method

1. Finely chop the onion. Melt the butter in a 18 cm saucepan over medium-low heat, cook the onion for 5 min until translucent, then add the curry powder and stir for just 30 seconds until fragrant.

   Add in this stepButter 15 gOnion ½Curry powder 2 tsp

   medium-low heat

2. Add the rice and stir for 1 minute to coat in butter, then add the stock, soy sauce and honey. Bring to the boil over high heat, turn down to medium-low heat and cook for 17 min, stirring now and then, until the stock is absorbed and the rice is sticky.

   Add in this stepRisotto rice or short-grain rice 200 gChicken stock 550 mlSoy sauce 1 tspHoney 1 tsp

   high heat→medium-low heat

3. Spread 2 cm thick on a tray, cover and chill in the fridge for 1 h, until completely cold.

4. Cut the mozzarella into 1.5 cm cubes. With wet hands, divide the rice into ≈4 × 150 g portions, put a cube of mozzarella in the middle of each and wrap the rice around it, pressing into a firm ball. Patch any gaps with a little extra rice.

   Add in this stepLow-moisture mozzarella (block) 80 g

5. Put the flour, beaten egg and panko on three separate plates. Coat each ball in flour, then egg, then panko, pressing the panko on firmly.

   Add in this stepPlain flour 30 gEggs 1Panko breadcrumbs 60 g

6. Pour the oil into a 18 cm deep pot, no more than a third full, and heat over medium-high heat to 170 °C; a crumb of panko should sizzle and float at once. Fry 2 at a time for 4 min, turning, until golden, then drain on a rack.

   Add in this stepOil for deep-frying 700 ml

   medium-high heat

7. Shred the cabbage very finely, soak it in cold water for 5 minutes, drain well and spread on plates. Set the arancini on top and drizzle with tonkatsu sauce or serve it on the side. The cheese inside is hot, so wait 3 minutes.

   Add in this stepCabbage 100 gTonkatsu sauce 3 tbsp