Aubergine Katsu Burger (Eggplant Katsu Burger)
This delicious burger features a golden, crispy aubergine katsu “patty”, nestled in a soft brioche bun with a zingy, crunchy cabbage slaw. Finished with rich tonkatsu sauce and creamy kewpie mayo, every bite delivers a perfect balance of zing, crunch, and umami.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 large round aubergine or large regular aubergine
- 250g sweetheart cabbage (aka pointed/hispi cabbage), very thinly sliced
- 2 spring onions, very thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar (or more, to taste)
- 1 tsp sugar (or more, to taste)
- 75g plain flour
- 2 tsp garlic granules
- 2 tsp onion granules
- 2 large eggs
- 150g panko breadcrumbs
- vegetable oil, for frying (or any neutral oil)
- 4 brioche burger buns, halved
- kewpie mayonnaise
- tonkatsu sauce
Instructions
- A quick note before starting: if you’d like your aubergine to be fully encased in the crispy panko shell, you’ll need to peel it as the coating won’t stick to the slick aubergine skin. If you’re not too fussed, you can keep the aubergine skin on.
- Slice the aubergine into 3 to 4 cm thick rounds and place on a wire rack set over a baking tray. Sprinkle with salt on both sides, then leave for at least 30 minutes – will draw the excess moisture out of the aubergine.
- Meanwhile, prepare the slaw by placing the sweetheart cabbage, spring onions, rice vinegar and sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper, toss to coat, then refrigerate until ready to use. Please note that the cabbage will hydrate and soften as it sits, so don’t be alarmed if it feels/looks dry at this stage.
- Prepare your dredging station. 1) Place the plain flour, garlic granules and onion granules in a wide shallow bowl. Season lightly with salt and pepper and mix well to combine. 2) Place the eggs in another wide shallow bowl. Season lightly with salt and pepper and beat to combine. 3) Finally, place the panko in another wide shallow bowl.
- Back to the aubergine. Pat the rounds dry with a clean tea towel, gently pressing out any excess moisture.
- Working one at a time, dredge the aubergine rounds in the flour mix, then the egg, then the panko breadcrumbs, pressing to ensure the rounds are fully coated on both sides (or on all sides if you’ve peeled the aubergine).
- Fill a large deep frying pan or sauté pan halfway with vegetable oil. Set the pan over a medium-high heat and heat the oil to 170℃. Fry the aubergine rounds, flipping once halfway through, until golden brown and crispy, 6 to 8 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to drain.
- Alternatively, you can spray the breaded aubergine rounds with oil and air fry at 190℃ for 15 to 18 minutes, or until browned on the outside and soft in the middle. Please note that the air fryer version isn’t as tasty as the fried version (no surprise there!), but it is healthier.
- Toast the burger buns in a dry pan until golden, then it’s time to assemble. Get a dollop of kewpie mayo onto the bottom buns, then top with the aubergine katsu, a good drizzle of tonkatsu sauce, the cabbage slaw, some more kewpie mayo, and finally the top bun. Serve immediately and enjoy.