Koza "A-Lunch"
コザ Aランチ·(ko-zah ē-ranchi)
Base Food & The Diaspora Plate
Anytime after 1956, walk into a diner in Koza just outside Kadena Air Base and you’d find a menu heavily influenced by the American military presence, yet entirely unique to Okinawa. The "A-Lunch" is the undisputed king of these plates: a wild tribute to post-war abundance piled high with fried pork, savory hamburger steak, bright red sausages, and a mountain of cabbage. Making seven diner components from scratch on a Tuesday night is a recipe for tears, so this version builds the plate using smart weeknight strategies and ingredients you can easily grab at your local Asian market. Fry a pounded pork cutlet, toss a sizzling pan of ketchup-coated spaghetti, and don't skimp on the shredded cabbage.
Ingredients
- boneless pork loin chops4 med
- all-purpose flour1/2 cup
- large eggs2 large
- panko breadcrumbs2 cup
- neutral oil1 cup
- Japanese red wieners8 oz
- ground beef (80/20)1/2 lb
- ground pork1/2 lb
- panko breadcrumbs1/2 cup
- yellow onion1/2 med
- large egg1 large
- kosher salt1 1/2 tsp
- black pepper1 tsp
- ground nutmeg1 pinch
- ketchup5 tbsp
- tonkatsu sauce1/4 cup
- green cabbage1/4 med
- Kewpie mayonnaise1/4 cup
- large eggs4 large
- short-grain white rice4 cup
- condensed cream of chicken soup10 1/2 oz
- whole milk1 cup
Method
- 01
Start the rice and the soup foundation.
Get the rice cooker going first. In a small saucepan, whisk the condensed soup and 1 cup of milk over low heat until simmering, then stir in 1/2 teaspoon of cracked black pepper. Keep it on the lowest warm setting to mimic the peppery, comforting starter famous at local Koza spots.
- 02
Mix and shape the Hamburg steaks.
In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork, milk-moistened panko, grated onion, 1 egg, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, and the nutmeg. Mix just until slightly sticky, divide into four oval patties, toss between your hands to knock out air bubbles, and press a dimple into the center of each.
- 03
Prepare the breading station and coat the pork.
Set up three shallow dishes with the flour, the 2 beaten eggs, and the 2 cups of panko. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper, coat in flour, dip in the egg, and press firmly into the panko so the crumbs adhere perfectly.
- 04
Execute the two-skillet maneuver.
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the Hamburg patties for 3 minutes until browned on the bottom, flip, add a splash of water, cover tightly, and drop the heat to steam-roast for 6 to 8 minutes. Meanwhile, in a second heavy skillet, shallow fry the breaded pork chops in a quarter-inch of hot neutral oil for 3 to 4 minutes per side until deeply golden.
- 05
Glaze the patties and fry the garnishes.
Move the cooked patties to a plate and squirt 3 tablespoons of ketchup and 2 tablespoons of tonkatsu sauce into the leftover beef and pork fat. Let it bubble for 15 seconds to make a pan glaze, scraping up any brown bits. Wipe out the pork skillet, blister the red wieners in a dash of oil for 2 minutes, push them aside, and fry the remaining 4 eggs sunny-side up.
- 06
Assemble the diaspora plate.
Grab the largest plates you own. Heap the shredded cabbage and drizzle it heavily with a mix of the Kewpie mayo and remaining 2 tablespoons of ketchup. Lay down a mound of hot rice, and tuck the crispy Tonkatsu, glazed Hamburg steak, blistered wieners, and fried egg wherever they fit. Serve immediately with a hot mug of the black pepper cream soup.
Notes
The Secret Okinawan Aurora Sauce.
In Okinawa, this simple cabbage dressing is often made with EGGO brand mayonnaise, an American import deeply embedded in the local culture. Kewpie mixed with American ketchup is a perfectly acceptable weeknight substitute that hits all the right notes.
The Optional Diaspora Flex.
If you have leftover spaghetti from the night before, toss it in a little ketchup and butter in a hot pan, and tuck a small forkful next to the cabbage. That is the ultimate authentic touch to any Yoshoku diner plate.
From Cook Okinawan in America.