Chicken Katsu Curry With Pickled Ginger Salad

Boil a kettle, then take your chicken out of the fridge, open the packet and let it air

Rinse your sushi rice in a sieve under cold running water for 30 secs, then set aside to drain fully

Add the drained rice with 200ml [300ml] [400ml] cold water to a pot with a lid and bring to the boil over a high heat, once boiling, then reduce the heat to low until very gently bubbling and cook, covered, for 15 min

After 15 min, remove the pot from the heat and keep covered for a further 10 min before serving

Tip: Don't peek! Keep the lid on the whole time to get fluffy and sticky rice!

Peel (scrape the skin off with a teaspoon) half your ginger into lengths and finely chop (or grate) the remaining ginger then add the peeled ginger to a bowl, cover with boiled water and set aside for later – this is your soaked ginger

Chop your creamed coconut roughly (if required!)

Peel and finely chop your brown onion[s] and peel and finely chop (or grate) your garlic

Heat a separate pot with a generous drizzle of vegetable oil over a medium heat

Once hot, add the chopped onion, chopped garlic, chopped ginger and a generous pinch of salt and cook for 4-5 min or until beginning to soften

Once the onion has softened, add your curry powder, ground turmeric and 2 tsp [3 tsp] [4 tsp] flour and cook for 30 secs or until fragrant

Once fragrant, add 300ml [390ml] [510ml] boiled water, chopped creamed coconut, 2 tsp [3 tsp] [4 tsp] sugar and soy sauce to the pot

Cook for 6-7 min or until the sauce has thickened to a curry-like consistency, then blitz until smooth with a (stick) blender – this is your curry sauce

Cover your chicken breast portion[s] in cling film and bash with a rolling pin until flattened to approx. 1cm thickness then season with salt

Crack your egg[s] into a shallow bowl and beat lightly, add 2 tbsp [3 tbsp] [4 tbsp] flour to a plate, then add your panko breadcrumbs to a separate plate with a generous pinch of salt

Coat the flattened chicken in the flour, then add to the beaten egg and firmly press into the seasoned breadcrumbs to evenly coat all over

Heat a separate, large, wide-based pan with a very generous drizzle of vegetable oil (enough to cover the bottom of the pan!) over a medium-high heat

Once hot, add the breaded chicken and cook for 8 min on each side or until the chicken is cooked through (no pink meat!) and the outside is golden

Tip: Cooking for 5? You may need to do this in batches!

Drain the soaked ginger, then add it to a bowl with your red wine vinegar, 1/2 tsp [3/4 tsp] [1 tsp] sugar and a pinch of salt

Wash your salad, then pat it dry with kitchen paper

Add the salad to the bowl and give everything a gentle mix up – this is your quick-pickled ginger salad

On a clean board, slice the breaded chicken finely into strips – this is your chicken katsu