Ingredients

• 1 pound thin-cut boneless pork chops or cutlets, trimmed
• Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine, sake or sherry
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated peeled ginger
• 2 medium cucumbers
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 3/4 cup cornstarch
• Peanut oil, for frying
• 1/4 cup tonkatsu sauce (a sweet-spicy Japanese dipping sauce, sold near the soy sauce; or make your own by mixing 2 tablespoons each ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and sugar with 1 tablespoon water.)

Instructions

1. Season the pork with salt. Mix the rice wine and 1 teaspoon ginger and spread on the pork. Stack the pork and set aside.
2. Peel, quarter and seed the cucumbers; cut into 4-inch spears. Toss with the sugar and vinegar. Toast the pepper flakes with 1 tablespoon salt in a skillet over medium heat, about 4 minutes; set aside.
3. Beat the eggs with 1/2 cup water in a shallow bowl. Put the panko and cornstarch in 2 separate shallow bowls. Dredge each piece of pork in cornstarch, dip in egg, then coat with the panko. Heat 1/4 inch of peanut oil in a large skillet over high heat. Fry the pork in batches until golden, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Drain on a paper-towel-lined plate.
4. Sprinkle the cucumbers with some of the spiced salt. Mix the tonkatsu sauce and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon ginger in a bowl. Serve the pork with the cucumbers and sauce.
5. Photograph by Antonis Achilleos