Spiced eggplant katsu sandos

Ingredients

• 1 (300 g), cut into 1.5 cm-thick sliceseggplant
• For drizzling and shallow-fryingvegetable oil
• To tasteshichimi togarashi
• 80 gfinely shredded wombok
• 75 g (¼ cup)Kewpie mayonnaise
• 35 g (¼ cup)plain flour
• 3eggs
• 200 gpanko crumbs
• 2 tbsptonkatsu sauce
• 8 thick sliceswhite sandwich bread
• To servemixed Japanese pickles
• To tastesalt

Instructions

1. 1

   Roast the eggplant

   Heat the oven to 220°C and line a large oven tray with baking paper. Drizzle the eggplant with oil, sprinkle both sides with shichimi togarashi and season with salt. Arrange in one layer and roast for 20 minutes, until just cooked. Leave to cool.

2. 2

   Mix the slaw

   While the eggplant roasts, combine the wombok and mayonnaise in a bowl. Season to taste.

3. 3

   Coat and fry

   Put the flour in one shallow bowl and season with salt. Whisk the eggs in a second shallow bowl, then put the panko in a third. Dust the eggplant in flour and shake off the excess, dip it in egg, then turn it in the panko until coated. Heat 3 cm of oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When hot, fry the eggplant, turning halfway, for about 1 minute per side until golden. Drain on paper towel.

4. 4

   Build the sandos

   Spread a little tonkatsu sauce over each slice of bread. Top 4 slices with the wombok salad and eggplant, then close with the remaining bread. Trim off the crusts, cut each sandwich in half and serve with mixed Japanese pickles.

What are eggplant katsu sandos?

A sando is a Japanese-style sandwich, often made with soft white bread and a neatly layered filling. Katsu refers to a breaded cutlet; here, eggplant takes the place of meat.

This version pairs spiced eggplant and crisp panko with tonkatsu sauce and creamy wombok slaw. The pickles bring a tangy contrast to the rich, crunchy filling.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 630 calories, 18g protein, 77g carbs, 27g fat.

The bread and panko provide most of the carbohydrates, while the frying oil and Kewpie mayonnaise contribute much of the fat. Eggplant and the three eggs used for the coating contribute some protein, though the amount per sandwich depends on how much coating adheres. Serve with extra wombok or another fresh vegetable to round out the plate.

Why roast before frying?

Roasting the 1.5 cm slices for 20 minutes cooks the eggplant before it goes into the coating. Let it cool before breading so it is easier to handle.

Shichimi togarashi seasons the eggplant directly, giving the filling its spice before the sauce and slaw are added.

Set up the coating station

Flour: a light dusting helps the egg adhere; shake away any excess so the coating does not become pasty.

Egg: dip each floured slice fully, letting excess egg drip off before coating.

Panko: turn the slices until the crumbs cover them well for a crisp, textured finish.

Fry for a golden crust

Heat 3 cm of oil over medium-high heat and fry the coated eggplant for about 1 minute on each side. The recipe gives a short frying time, so keep an eye on the colour and turn the slices once they are golden.

Drain the cooked slices on paper towel before assembling. This helps remove excess surface oil and keeps the bread from getting as greasy.

Balance the filling

Wombok: finely shredding it makes the slaw easy to layer and bite through. Coat it with mayonnaise just before building the sandwiches.

Tonkatsu sauce: spread a little on each bread slice so the flavour reaches both sides of the filling without overwhelming the eggplant.

Pickles: serve them alongside rather than inside the sandwich, as directed, for a sharp counterpoint to the creamy slaw.

Assemble just before serving

Keep the eggplant, slaw and bread separate until you are ready to eat; the crumb coating stays crisper this way. Trim the crusts and halve the sandwiches for the classic sando-style presentation.

Recipe notes & tips

• Cut the eggplant into even 1.5 cm slices so they roast at a similar rate.
• Cool the roasted eggplant before dipping it in the flour, egg and panko.
• Use three separate shallow bowls to keep the coating process tidy.
• Fry in batches if needed so the slices have room to turn in the pan.
• Drain the fried eggplant on paper towel before it goes into the sandwiches.
• Assemble the sandos shortly before serving to help preserve the crisp coating.

Variations

• Adjust the spice: use more or less shichimi togarashi to suit your preference.
• Change the slaw: season the wombok and mayonnaise to taste before layering.
• Try another bread: use a different soft sandwich bread if white bread is unavailable.
• Serve extra pickles: offer more mixed Japanese pickles on the side.
• Add more sauce: serve additional tonkatsu sauce alongside for dipping.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Skipping the cooling step: hot eggplant can be awkward to coat; let it cool after roasting.
• Leaving excess flour on: a thick layer can make the coating uneven; shake off the surplus.
• Frying before the oil is hot: the panko may absorb oil rather than crisp; wait until the oil is hot.
• Overcrowding the pan: slices may be harder to turn evenly; fry them in batches if needed.
• Assembling too early: moisture can soften the crumb; build the sandwiches close to serving.

How to store

These sandwiches are best assembled and eaten straight away, as the coating softens over time. Refrigerate leftover cooked eggplant and slaw separately in covered containers and use within 2 days; reheat the eggplant in an oven until hot, then assemble with fresh bread.

Frequently asked questions