Auns Cooking Ka

Okay, so we’ve all had the classic pork katsu sando from Japanese convenience stores – and don’t get me wrong, those are incredible. But let me introduce you to the prawn katsu sando, which takes everything you love about the original and elevates it to something even more special. Crispy panko-crusted prawns nestled between impossibly soft milk bread with a delicious tartare sauce and cabbage slaw – it’s got all the same addictive textures and flavours but feels a bit more luxurious and refined. Once you try this version, it might just become your new favourite!

Ingredients

1. Prawns: Large prawns (200grams or about 8-10 prawns per sandwich) work best here – you want a bouncy katsu. This means you will need to turn half your prawns into a paste and the other half roughly chopped for texture. Make sure to clean your prawns well and pat them dry before using.
2. Panko Breading: Japanese panko breadcrumbs are non-negotiable here – they create those signature light, crispy, jagged shards that stay crunchy even after saucing. The three-step breading process (flour, egg, panko) ensures the coating adheres perfectly and doesn’t fall off during frying. Press the panko firmly into the prawn patty so it really sticks. Regular breadcrumbs will give you a denser, less crispy coating that just isn’t the same. You can find panko breadcrumbs are your local Asian grocery store.
3. Milk Bread: Authentic Japanese milk bread (shokupan) is incredibly soft, slightly sweet, and pillowy – it’s the perfect contrast to the crispy prawns. The crustless white bread should be thick-cut, about 1-inch slices. If you can’t find Japanese milk bread, use the softest white sandwich bread you can find. Wonder Bread in a pinch works better than crusty bread, which would compete with the crispy prawns.
4. Japanese Tartare Sauce: This is a milder, slightly sweeter version of traditional tartare sauce – made with Japanese mayo (Kewpie), finely diced pickles, yuzu or lemon juice, and a touch of sugar and wasabi. It’s creamy, tangy, and perfectly balanced without being too sharp or acidic. The cabbage slaw adds extra crunch and freshness – finely shredded cabbage stays simple, sometimes just lightly dressed with a bit of the tartare sauce or left plain to let the other flavours shine.

Tips!

Oil Temperature: Maintain oil at 350°F – use a thermometer. Too hot and the outside burns before the prawns cook through; too cool and you get greasy, soggy coating. Fry in small batches to maintain temperature.

Drain Properly: Let fried prawns drain on a wire rack, not paper towels. Paper towels trap steam underneath and make the bottom soggy. A wire rack lets air circulate and keeps everything crispy.

Tartare Sauce Consistency: Make your tartare sauce thick enough to spread easily but not runny. Finely dice your pickles – large chunks make spreading uneven and can make the sandwich fall apart.

Storage and Reheating Guide

• Fried Prawns Storage: Store fried prawns separately (not assembled) in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. Keep away from moisture to maintain crispiness.
• Tartare Sauce Storage: Store Japanese tartare sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days
• Cabbage Slaw Storage: Store shredded cabbage in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days
• Assembled Sandwiches: Best eaten immediately, but can be wrapped tightly and refrigerated for up to 2 hours before serving
• Reheating Prawns: Reheat fried prawns in a 400°F oven for 5-7 minutes or air fryer at 375°F for 3-4 minutes until crispy and hot
• Freezing: Freeze breaded uncooked prawns on a tray, then transfer to freezer bags for up to 2 months. Fry directly from frozen, adding 2-3 minutes to cooking time.

Make Ahead Tips:

• Bread the Prawns: Bread prawn patties completely up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerate on a wire rack. Let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before frying.
• Make Tartare Sauce Early: Prepare Japanese tartare sauce up to 5 days ahead – the flavour actually improves as it sits and the ingredients meld together
• Shred Cabbage Ahead: Shred cabbage up to 2 days ahead and store in cold water in the refrigerator to keep it crisp. Drain and dry thoroughly before using.
• Prep Station: Set up your breading station (flour, egg, panko) before starting so assembly is smooth and efficient
• Freezer Batch: Bread a large batch of prawns and freeze. Fry from frozen whenever a craving hits for a quick meal in under 10 minutes.

Ingredients

Makes 2 sandwiches

Prawn Patties:
400g (or ~18 prawns) prawns, deshelled and cleaned
1.5 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tbsp sesame oil
salt + pepper
2 eggs, beaten
plain flour
panko breadcrumbs
Vegetable oil, for frying

Tartare Sauce:
1/3 cup kewpie mayo
1/2 shallot, finely diced
2 cornichons, finely diced
2 tbsp lemon/yuzu juice
salt + pepper

Other:
4 slices Japanese milk bread
White cabbage, shredded

Method

1. Tartare sauce: place all the ingredients for the tartare sauce into a bowl and mix well. Set aside.
2. Prawn Patties: blend with a food processor or finely chop half of your prawns into a paste. Finely chop the other half of your prawns and them together into a bowl. Add the cornstarch, sesame oil, salt and pepper and mix vigorously into a sticky paste.
3. Breading: set up your breading station – flour, beaten eggs and panko breadcrumbs. Scoop half of your prawn mixture into your lightly oiled hands and roll the mixture into a ball. Slam the ball between the hands to remove any air bubbles and flatten the ball into a round patty. Coat the patty into plain flour, followed by egg and lastly panko breadcrumbs. Repeat with the remaining prawn mixture and set aside.
4. Frying: bring a pot of neutral/vegetable oil to 180C/250F. Carefully place the patties into the oil and cook for 4-5 minutes, flipping halfway. Remove from oil and drain on a cooling rack.
5. Assemble: cut off the crusts from the sandwich slices. Place a handful of shredded cabbage onto 1 slice, followed by a drizzle of the homemade tartare sauce, prawn patty and lastly the second slice of bread. Cut the sandwich in half to reveal the cross section and enjoy!

Prawn Katsu Sandwich

Japanese Ebi Katsu Sando

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Prep Time:30 mins

Cook Time:10 mins

Course: Bread

Cuisine: Japanese

Keyword: Katsu, Prawn Katsu, Sando, Sandwich

Servings: 2 sandwiches

Ingredients

Prawn Patties:

• 400g (or ~18 prawns) prawns, deshelled and cleaned
• 1.5 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
• salt + pepper
• 2 eggs, beaten
• plain flour
• panko breadcrumbs
• Vegetable oil, for frying

Tartare Sauce:

• 1/3 cup kewpie mayo
• 1/2 shallot, finely diced
• 2 cornichons, finely diced
• 2 tbsp lemon/yuzu juice
• salt + pepper

Other:

• 4 slices Japanese milk bread
• White cabbage, shredded

Instructions

• Tartare sauce: place all the ingredients for the tartare sauce into a bowl and mix well. Set aside.
• Prawn Patties: blend with a food processor or finely chop half of your prawns into a paste. Finely chop the other half of your prawns and them together into a bowl. Add the cornstarch, sesame oil, salt and pepper and mix vigorously into a sticky paste.
• Breading: set up your breading station – flour, beaten eggs and panko breadcrumbs. Scoop half of your prawn mixture into your lightly oiled hands and roll the mixture into a ball. Slam the ball between the hands to remove any air bubbles and flatten the ball into a round patty. Coat the patty into plain flour, followed by egg and lastly panko breadcrumbs. Repeat with the remaining prawn mixture and set aside.
• Frying: bring a pot of neutral/vegetable oil to 180C/250F. Carefully place the patties into the oil and cook for 4-5 minutes, flipping halfway. Remove from oil and drain on a cooling rack.
• Assemble: cut off the crusts from the sandwich slices. Place a handful of shredded cabbage onto 1 slice, followed by a drizzle of the homemade tartare sauce, prawn patty and lastly the second slice of bread. Cut the sandwich in half to reveal the cross section and enjoy!