Tonkatsu, if properly organized, is not difficult to cook or prepare.
Here is the first of a series of recipes you easily accomodate to your taste and preferences:

Tonkatsu Basic Recipe:

INGREDIENTS: For one person

-Pork cutlet: one large, 1~2 cm thick. Choose good quality with as little fat as possible, although some around the rim is welcome.
-Flour: 2 tablespoons
-Black pepper: to taste:
-Salt: to taste
-Nutmeg: a pinch (you may use other spices of course, including chili pepper!)
-Egg: 1 large
-Fresh breadcrumbs (if unavailable, use dry breadcrumbs or panko): half a cup
-Deep-fry oil (as fresh as possible!)
-Cabbage (as much as you want, finley shredded)
-Sesame powder/ground sesame seeds: 1 tablespoon
-Tonkatsu sauce: 2 large tablespoons (easily found in markets. You can of course make your own with worcestershire sauce, ketchup, mustard and so on!)

RECIPE:

-Make a shallow incision across the rim every 3~4 cm. It is an important step as it will prevent the meat from contracting or bending!

-In a bowl mix flour, pepper, salt and spices. One can add curry mix powder there, too!

-Cover both side of the pork cut with the flour mixture. Take care not to form lumps of flour.
Trick: Try to use only one hand to come in contact with the food, while the other hand stays dry and can manipulate utensils!

-In a different bowl beat the egg. Preferably do this ahead of everything.
Dip the floured pork cut into the beaten egg.

-Pour the breadcrumbs on a plate and spread it evenly. Thisis also better done before you start anything!
Lay the pork cut on the breadcrumbs and gently press. Cover the top side with breadcrumbs, too and pat gently to help the breadcrumbs adhere. Don’t be afraid of coating with a lot of breadcrumbs!

-Heta the oil to 170 degrees Celsius. Drop a little breadcrumb in the oil to check if it’s hot enough. It should start frying with bubbles right away. Drop the pork cut gently into the oil to avoid any accident.

-Turn the pork cut over for even frying as it will rise to the surface. Do it as gently as possible either with long wooden chopsticks of frying tongs.

-On a serving plate lay a bed of shredded cabbage decorated with a little parsley and a few lemon slices. Provide some strong mustard if wanted.
Take pork cut out of the oil and lay on a grill for a few seconds to take off excess oil. Transfer onto a working table and cut into strips.
Place it above or beside shredded cabbage in the right order so as to remind you of the original shape.

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