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ahi Katsu with wasabi aioli

Ahi Katsu

Estee
Delicious short-fried ahi katsu wrapped in nori and drizzled with homemade wasabi aioli and sweet sauce
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 30 mins
Course appetizers
Cuisine Hawaiian

Ingredients
  

Ahi Katsu

  • 1 ½- 2 lbs fresh sashimi-grade ahi cut into 2 blocks, 1 ½ in. by 1 in., about 6 inches long
  • 2 sheets of nori seaweed
  • ½ cup flour
  • 1 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 egg
  • 2-4 Tbsp water
  • ½ tsp salt
  • Grind of black pepper
  • 1 ½ cup panko crumbs
  • Vegetable oil for deep frying
  • Microgreens for serving

Wasabi Aioli

  • 1/4 cup mayonaisse
  • 3 tsp dry wasabi powder
  • 2 1/2 tsp lime juice
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 1 tsp water

Unagi Sauce

  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup mirin(japanese rice wine)
  • 1/8 cup sugar

Instructions
 

Ahi Katsu

  • First prep both sauces and set aside.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, and egg. Add 2 Tbsp water and whisk to combine. Add more water 1 Tbsp at a time until the batter is workable and there are no clumps left. Season with salt and pepper.
  • In a wok or deep pot, heat oil to 375 f, or until the oil is shimmering.
  • Wrap each piece of ahi lengthwise in a piece of nori seaweed. Measure the ahi against the seaweed first. The edges should match up- if the seaweed is too long, cut it to size with kitchen shears or a sharp knife.
  • Once you have wrapped the ahi, dip your fingers in water and run the water on the edge of the nori, then continue rolling it to stick the edges together.
  • Dip each ahi block wrapped in nori first in the tempura batter, making sure to coat the whole thing, including the ends, and then in the panko crumbs. Add to the hot oil immediately. Fry the fish till it is golden brown, only 30 seconds each, for a raw centre. Personally, I think this is the prettiest and most delicious way to eat Katsu, but if you want the fish to be fully cooked in the centre, fry it for a minute to a minute and a half.
  • Transfer the katsu to a cutting board and slice each block into about 10 pieces, each ¼ inch thick.
  • Sprinkle microgreens on a wooden platter(or a leaf like in the photo!), and arrange the katsu slices leaning on each other in a row, centres exposed.
  • Drizzle with unagi sauce, and then wasabi aioli. TIP: Place sauce in the corner of a small ziplock bag. Snip off the end when you are ready to use and you will get the perfet thin drizzle! Enjoy hot.

Wasabi Aioli

  • Add all ingredients to a hand blender and blend until smooth.

Unagi Sauce

  • Add soy suace, mirin, and sugar to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirrng occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved and the sauce has thickened just slightly. Keep a careful watch that it doesn't over cook- it will thicken more as it cools. Let cool and transfer to a storing container in the fridge, or place in a squeeze bottle.