Lettuce Roll Tonkatsu

Cut into the core of the lettuce with a knife and peel off the leaves one by one without breaking their shape.

Prepare 200g of the separated lettuce leaves, wash them with water, and pat them thoroughly dry with paper towels.

Shave off the thick parts of the core so the leaves are of even thickness throughout.

Stack the lettuce leaves and adjust the width to about 15 to 16cm, trimming any overhanging parts and tucking them inside.

Roll the stacked lettuce tightly and firmly from the near side, leaving no gaps.

Spread plastic wrap on a flat surface, lay out the 8 slices of pork with their edges overlapping, and dust the surface with cake flour.

Place the lettuce roll on the near side, lift the near edge along with the wrap to roll the pork around it, wrap it up candy-style, and shape it.

Sprinkle salt over the surface and dust with cake flour.

Prepare beaten egg and panko breadcrumbs in trays, then coat the roll with the egg followed by the panko. Where the lettuce shows at the edges, apply the egg and panko twice to make the coating sturdy.

Pour a generous 5mm to 1cm depth of oil into a frying pan and heat over medium heat. When a dropped piece of panko sizzles up, the oil is ready.

Place the roll seam side down, and once the bottom starts to color, turn it and cook until browned all over. Use medium-high heat and a higher temperature, thinking of it as coloring the outside while cooking the pork through.

Once browned all over and cooked through, remove it, drain the oil, cut it into easy-to-eat slices, and arrange on a plate. Serve with mayonnaise, sesame dressing, or okonomi sauce as desired.