Donkatsu

Dinner tonight was donkatsu, which is basically Japanese for pork cutlet crusted in panko. I picked up a package of pork specifically labeled for donkatsu at my local Korean supermarket, but usually I buy thin boneless chops. And you will know I'm Korean by the way I dress my cabbage (i.e. the high-brow combo of mayo and ketchup). The piece of pork is petite, but it was one of those "one is not enough, but two is too much" dilemmas that befall those who prepare meals for themselves. Luckily, I am fanatical about cabbage, so got carried away with a second helping and ended up barely cleaning my plate.

This dish is something I can eat at any given moment, though without the awesome sauce, it's almost not worth it. Making donkatsu at home is much more satisfying than eating it at a restaurant (unless you go to a specialty joint) because most likely the pork will be more substantial and it's straight from the pan. Lukewarm or tough fried foods are terribly depressing, no?

Kielbasa and Red Cabbage

I was in the mood for a comfort meal the other night; apparently the kind that Eastern Europeans long for. I wasn't sure if I should go for jarred sauerkraut or cook up some red cabbage to accompany the Polish kielbasa. I went with the cabbage as I'm pretty sure if I ever buy a jar of sauerkraut, it'll get used once or maybe twice before its expiration date (please pipe up if you can put the kraut away like nobody's business!).

I've seen Rachael Ray make many a sauteed red cabbage side dish before, but had never attempted it myself until now; I used this recipe from her website as a guide. The cabbage came out better than expected and I'm betting it'll taste even better after a day or so. Boy, do I love cabbage (and anything from its family, such as cauliflower, bok choy, collard greens, etc.)!

I still have half of the kielbasa left in the fridge, which will make for another dinner this week. I will have to eat it with rice or pasta, though, because I found it a bit salty and fatty to eat on its own.

Sriracha Pork

I successfully froze, defrosted and then actually used some leftover pork chops. Good intentions carried out to fruition; I felt very triumphant today. I came home and immediately got to work making this simple dinner of spicy pork that was marinated for 15 minutes in sriracha, soy sauce, mirin, sugar, sesame oil and sesame seeds.

I had planned on using some Korean gochujang (pepper paste) that had been languishing in my fridge for some time, but when I opened it up, it looked dried out. I had to chuck it into the trash and I have to say, I find it very satisfying to clean out the fridge. I should tackle my pantry, which is in a dismal state right now, but that's another story altogether (how is it even possible I have boxes of stale Girl Scout cookies?).

The furikake (also what I refer to as crack-on-rice) was not good, but that's because I've owned it for a length of time I will not disclose (I got rid of the container, but it was not horrible enough that I felt the need to scrape it off the rice). Getting reacquainted with furikake did, however, make me want to scoop up some new ones the next time I'm at an Asian market. I always think i want to venture out past the basic seaweed one, but I had a not-so-stellar experience before with a bonito mix. I'd appreciate any suggestions if there are other furikake fans out there!

Pork with Apricots

Underneath the mess of apricots are some boneless pork chops. I like apples with pork, but wanted to try something different and unusual. Peaches were quite tempting, but I felt motr drawn to the orange-golden hue of the apricots. Well, the pork turned out fairly juicy and well-seasoned (salt, pepper and oregano), but the apricots were a bit too subtle and not very sweet (even with a drizzle of honey).

The watercress and sugar plum tomato salad, however, was a wise choice. Dressed with (a little too much) lemon and extra virgin olive oil, it was slightly tangy and spicy (this bunch of watercress had a real kick to it). I haven't abandoned apricots, but I may have better luck if I get them at a farmers' market and leave them off of pork.