Pork Katsu with Sesame Roasted Carrots & Ginger Rice

Step 1

• Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wash and dry all produce. • Trim, peel, and cut carrots on a diagonal into ½-inch-thick pieces. Peel and mince or grate ginger. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens.

Step 2

• Toss carrots on a baking sheet with a large drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper. • Roast on top rack until tender, 20-25 minutes. • Carefully toss carrots with sesame seeds.

Step 3

• While carrots roast, heat a drizzle of oil in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add ginger and scallion whites; cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute. • Stir in rice and ¾ cup water (1¼ cups for 4 servings). Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. • Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.

Step 4

• Meanwhile, pat pork* dry with paper towels. • Place panko, garlic powder, salt (we used ¾ tsp), and pepper in a gallonsize zip-close bag. (For 4 servings, use 1½ tsp salt.) • Place sour cream in a medium bowl; add pork and turn to evenly coat. • Add coated pork to bag with seasoned panko and seal to close. Shake until pork is evenly coated. TIP: You may need to move around cutlets in bag, pressing with your hands, to spread out panko and make it stick.

Step 5

• Heat a ¼-inch layer of oil in a large, preferably nonstick, pan over mediumhigh heat. Once oil is shimmering and hot enough that a pinch of panko sizzles when added to the pan, add crusted pork (discard any panko in bag that doesn’t stick). • Cook until panko is golden brown and pork is cooked through, 2-3 minutes per side. (For 4 servings, cook in batches.) • Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.

Step 6

• Place katsu sauce in a small microwave-safe bowl; microwave until warmed through, 30 seconds. • Fluff rice with a fork; stir in 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings) and season with salt and pepper. • Divide rice, pork, and carrots between plates. Drizzle pork with katsu sauce. Sprinkle with scallion greens and serve.