A Two for Tuesday Recipe

Seven years ago I landed in a foreign land called Japan ... Okinawa to be exact. It is the largest island south of Japan where the largest amphibious battle occurred during World War 2. Little history for ya! Authentic Japanese food does not compare to the food served here in the USA. There are some staples such as Yakitori, served as street food, but the menu usually consists of seafood and other items I did not recognize. However, there was one restaurant I dined in that was reminiscent of an American diner called Cocco's Curry House, where I had Cocco's Curry Chicken. The second you open the door you are blasted with the smell of curry. You can order it on any type of meat (I chose chicken) as well as the level of heat; it's served with white rice, and as odd as it may sound, it had melted cheese. It was absolutely delicious, and the crunch from the panko and the sauce slathered over top and the gooey melted cheese, just makes you hungry for more! After the trip I HAD to recreate it and I couldn't believe how simple it was to make and that my adaptation captured it so well. With a little help from your local Asian market or Asian section of your supermarket, you too can create this authentic Japanese meal. It is very simple: panko, chicken breasts/cutlets and curry sauce. My recipe is for two people however you can certainly adjust the amount of chicken to the amount of people you are serving. Enjoy!2 chicken breasts, halved2-3 tablespoons flour1 egg, beaten1 cup Japanese panko1-2 tablespoons canola oil1 3.5oz box Golden Curry Mix1 Polly-O string cheese (optional)1. Butterfly the chicken breast so that you total to 4 chicken breast pieces.2. Prepare three separate plates with the flour, egg and panko (I use aluminum to save on washing).3. Dredge the chicken breasts in the flour followed by the egg and finally cover in panko breading. Repeat with all pieces.4. Heat pan with oil to medium heat and cook the chicken until crispy, golden in color and cooked through. About 6 minutes per side depending on your stove/heat settings.5. In a small sauce pan, add the curry sauce mix and follow the direction on the box to make the sauce.6. Prepare a plate with the chicken on one side, white rice on the other. Pour the curry sauce over the chicken while hot and if using the cheese add immediately so it may melt with the heat.Enjoy!