Chicken Katsu Curry

Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds. Rinse the carrots, onion and cabbage under running water before peeling and cutting, removing damaged areas. Prepare the vegetables as listed, measuring the cabbage after shredding. Set the cabbage aside in a clean bowl, away from the raw chicken and breading station.

Rinse the rice in a fine-mesh strainer under cold running water until the water runs mostly clear, then drain thoroughly. Put the rice and 1 3/4 cups cooking water in the 2-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, cover tightly and reduce the heat to very low. Cook for 18 minutes without lifting the lid. Remove from the heat and leave covered for 10 minutes. Keep covered until serving. Make the sauce and chicken while the rice cooks.

Heat 2 tablespoons canola oil in the 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook for 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onion softens and begins to turn golden. Stir in the curry powder and 2 tablespoons flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Gradually whisk in the chicken broth, scraping the bottom of the pan to incorporate the flour mixture. Bring to a gentle simmer, partially cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for 18–22 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are very tender and easily crushed with the spoon.

Meanwhile, prepare the chicken on a separate cutting board. Do not rinse it; pat it dry with paper towels. Slice each breast horizontally into 2 cutlets, making 4 cutlets total. Place them between sheets of plastic wrap and gently pound any thick areas to an even 1/2-inch thickness. Distribute 1 teaspoon salt over both sides of all 4 cutlets. Wash your hands and clean surfaces that touched the raw chicken.

Put the remaining 6 tablespoons flour, beaten eggs and panko into separate shallow bowls. Coat each cutlet in flour, shaking off the excess, then dip it in egg and let the excess drip away. Press it firmly into the panko on both sides. Place the breaded cutlets on the plate designated for raw chicken. Wash your hands after breading.

When the carrots are tender, remove the sauce from the heat. Add the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Keeping the immersion blender head fully submerged, blend until completely smooth. Return the saucepan to the lowest heat and keep the sauce hot, stirring occasionally, while frying the chicken.

Pour the remaining 1 cup canola oil into the skillet and heat over medium heat to 350°F. Carefully lower 2 cutlets into the oil, laying them away from you to avoid splashing. Shallow-fry for 3–4 minutes per side, turning with tongs, until deeply golden. Adjust the heat to keep the oil between 325°F and 350°F.

Check each cutlet with an instant-read thermometer, inserting the probe horizontally through the side into the thickest center without touching the skillet. The chicken must reach 165°F (74°C). If necessary, continue cooking over slightly lower heat and check again. Transfer the cooked cutlets to the clean wire rack. Bring the oil back to 350°F and cook the remaining 2 cutlets in the same way. Let the final batch rest for 3 minutes; leave all cutlets uncovered and unstacked.