Eggplant Katsu Curry
If you love Japanese katsu curry but want something a little lighter (and totally plant-based), this eggplant katsu curry is going to surprise you especially if, like me, you don’t usually love eggplant. I’ve never been the biggest fan of it on its own, but cooked this way it turns beautifully tender, almost buttery on the inside, with a perfectly crisp golden crumb on the outside. It’s one of those recipes that completely changes how you feel about a vegetable.
I’ll walk you through how to make katsu at home, including a rich and flavourful homemade katsu sauce that’s way better than anything store-bought.
Whether you’re craving a cozy curry night or just looking for a new way to love eggplant, this dish delivers all the comfort and flavor of your favorite Japanese katsu curry.
How to make katsu
The word katsu refers to the breaded meat or in this case eggplant. Homemade katsu is simply unbeatable in flavor. To make it you just mix flour and water, dip the eggplant, then coat the eggplant in panko breadcrumbs and fry or bake until golden and crispy.
Here are some more vegetable based dishes
- Harissa Roasted Cauliflower
- Garlic and Black Pepper Broccolini
- Air fryer Baingan Bharta- Indian style eggplant dip
Why I love this eggplant katsu
Simple to make- Using shop bought pastry sheets makes this pie recipe a breeze. It’s simply a matter of whipping up a quick filling, cutting the pastry, assembling and baking.
Comfort food heaven- You can’t beat a good pastry. This pie is my go-to when I just need a good wholesome snack that’s filling.
Customizable- You can really add any filling you like to this. Add some leftover veg or swap the jackfruit to vegan minced meat- its totally up to you and the contents of your fridge.
Batch cook friendly- These pies are freezable so make a big batch and keep them in the freezer for on demand snacks in your time of need.
What to serve with katsu
A good katsu curry always goes amazingly with steamed fluffy white rice and a mixed leaf side salad. I use this dressing recipe- Wagamama-Inspired Salad Dressing (Vegan + GF) - Rhian's Recipes which goes perfectly.
Notes on the ingredients-
- Eggplant- A large eggplant works well for this to make sure you only have to breadcrumb one big surface area. You can use smaller eggplants but you may need to use more batter and panko to coat them.
- Coconut milk- Coconut milk makes the sauce rich and creamy. I always use tinned full fat coconut milk for maximum richness- bonus points if you can find the coconut milk with the highest amount of actual coconut extract.
- Mild curry powder- Generic store bought curry powder is fine for this recipe. Choose the ‘hot’ version if you love spicy, otherwise mild is great.
- Vegan chicken stock powder- For savoury flavour I use vegan chicken stock powder. Feel free to use mushroom powder or vegetable stock.
- Turmeric- Turmeric gives that iconic katsu curry colour. Use turmeric powder for this.
- Panko breadcrumbs- Panko breadcrumbs are used for katsu for their ability to go golden and crunchy. I don’t recommend using any other breadcrumbs.
TIP- You can air fry the eggplant katsu for a speedier way of cooking. Just air fry on 180C for 15 minutes
How to make eggplant katsu
- Soften the onions
- Add the garlic ginger and spices
- Add the coconut milk
- Blend the sauce
- Cover the eggplant in cling wrap and microwave until soft
- Cut the eggplant and flatten
- Dip in batter
- Coat in panko
- Place on a lined baking tray and spray oil
- Bake until golden
- Serve on sauce
- Add salad and sesame seeds
Sauce too thick or thin?- If the sauce is too thin add a cornstarch slurry to thicken. If it's too thick add some more water or coconut milk.
Eggplant katsu curry
Ingredients
- 1 Eggplant
For the sauce-
- 150 ml Coconut milk
- 300 ml Water
- 1 Yellow onion
- 2 tbsp Mild curry powder
- 1 tbsp Light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Vegan chicken stock powder
- 1 tsp Turmeric
- 1 tsp White sugar
- For the breadcrumb-
- 100 g Plain flour
- 180 ml Water
- 100 g Panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Peel the eggplant and add to a container with a lid- microwave for 4-5 minutes or until the eggplant is soft all the way through. You can also do this in a steamer basket if you prefer.
- Cut the eggplant in half and gently make small, shallow slices to flatten it into a cutlet shape.
- Mix the flour and water in one bowl and add the panko breadcrumbs into the other bowl.
- Dip the eggplant into the flour and then into the panko.
- Add to a lined baking tray, spray with oil and bake on 200C for 30 minutes flipping halfway.
- Whilst the eggplant is baking make the sauce.
- Dice the onion small and fry in oil or water until softened.
- Add all of the rest of the sauce ingredients and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes.
- Leave to cool and blend if you want a smooth sauce.
- Once the eggplant is golden and crispy serve with the sauce and some sticky rice.
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