Guest Post: Turkey and Mushroom Menchi Katsu with Curry

Recipe by Carole Nelson Brown of The Yum Yum Factor

My family loves Japanese hamburger, Menchi Katstu, and Japanese Curry. Menchi Katsu is basically a Japanese burger patty that is breaded and deep fried and it’s not the healthiest.

We are trying to cut down on some of our meat consumption and often these patties are made with a nice, fatty mixture of beef and pork. What to do? Just ground turkey might be too dry but that is what pulsed mushrooms are for. By adding, coarsely ground mushroom to the cutlet mix, we can keep the patties moist and flavourful. Instead of the traditional bath in a pot of hot oil, I air fry them. You get a nicely browned, crispy crust without all that oil. Do try to use whole wheat panko if you can find it. It’s tasty and because it’s already a richer, brown colour, your finished cutlet will look nicer.

The turkey and mushroom patty is delicious on its own or even as a burger stand in on a bun for a nice treat.

Turkey and Mushroom Menchi Katsu with Curry

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 15 to 45 minutes (if you have to cook the cutlets in batches)

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

Turkey/Mushroom Cutlet

• 454 grams ground turkey
• 150 grams mushrooms, pulsed in food processor
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 green onions, minced
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• A few grinds black pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced (or grated on a rasp)
• 1 tsp minced ginger (or grated on a rasp)

Breading

• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups whole wheat panko
• 2 tbls sesame seeds

Curry

• 1 tbls unflavoured oil, like canola
• 1 onion, thick slivers
• 5 med/large button mushrooms, quartered
• 1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces (about 3/4 cup)
• 1 small purple carrot, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces (about 1/3 cup)
• 5 baby potatoes, cut in half
• 1 box (approx 100 mg) of Japanese Curry Cubes
• 2 1/2 cups water (you might need a bit more if too thick)

Directions

Turkey Cutlet

1. Grind your mushrooms in the food processor by pulsing until they resemble small pellets- don’t puree
2. Put all of the ingredients in a bowl and, using your hand, mix well. Taste by taking a pinch of meat mixture and fry in a pan. If needed, add more salt.
3. Form the mix into 5 or 6 patties – depends on the size you want
4. Put them on a parchment lined small tray and leave them to set in the fridge for at least one hour.

Breading

1. Dredge each burger in flour, dip in the egg and the coat in the panko and put them on a clean parchment lined tray.

Cooking

1. To Air fry, preheat the air fryer to 360F (preheat oven to 250 if you have to cook in batches)
2. Spray the cutlets with spray olive oil or other cooking spray. Spray the air fryer tray and place a few cutlets on it. How many you can cook at once, depends on the size of your fryer. Cook for about 4 minutes, carefully turn them, spray the second side with cooking spray and cook for another 4 minutes. Crank the heat to 390F or 400F and cook for 2 more minutes to crisp up.
3. Remove to a rack set over a baking tray OR a parchment lined tray and keep warm in a 250F oven if you can’t make them all in one go.
4. If you don’t have an air fryer, bake on a parchment lined baking pan, tops sprayed with cooking oil, in a preheated 375F oven for 25-30 minutes, depending on the thickness of the cutlet. Turn the patties halfway through and spray the tops with cooking spray again.

Curry

1. Heat the oil in a pot or a deep sauté pan. Cook the onion until it starts to soften before adding the mushrooms and sauté for another few minutes. Throw in the sweet potato, carrot and potato and cook another two minutes before you add the water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cover and cook until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the curry cubes. Stir until the cubes melt into the liquid and return the pot to the heat, simmer for another 10 minutes. Your curry should be creamy and all veggies soft.
2. Serve the crispy turkey and mushroom cutlet alongside the curry in a shallow bowl with long grain white rice – I like basmati. You can garnish with togarashi, furikake, green onions or more sesame seeds if you like.

Be sure to follow along with Carole at The Yum Yum Factor.