Ebi Katsu Burger 海老カツバーガー

Do you have a favorite burger that you crave sometimes?  I have one, and it’s Ebi Katsu Burger (海老カツバーガー) from Japanese burger shops like Mos Burger and Lotteria.

What is Ebi Katsu Burger?

It’s a burger with shrimp patty that is covered in panko breadcrumbs and deep-fried.  The best way to describe Ebi Katsu is it’s a shrimp version of tonkatsu (pork) or chicken katsu.  Wrapped in a crispy panko shell, it’s so good with tartar sauce and shredded cabbage inside soft burger buns.
Today not only we’re making it at home, we’re going to make BAKED Ebi Katsu, instead of deep frying!

How To Make Ebi Katsu Burger BAKED

I’ll show you how to make delicious ebi katsu with the same technique I used for my Baked Tonkatsu, Baked Chicken Katsu, Baked Croquette, and Crispy Salmon recipes.

Pre-toast Panko

We pre-toast the panko in a frying pan till it turns the optimal golden brown color.  That way, panko looks like they are deep fried and the texture of panko is crisp as if they were deep fried.  Here’s a quick video to show you on how I did it for tonkatsu.

Plump Shrimp Patty

You could chop all the shrimp into paste form to make the burger patty.  But we won’t do that for my shrimp patty.  I like plump shrimp texture when I bite into the burger, so what I do is to create grid lines by cutting shallow cuts on one side of the shrimp.  This way the shrimps become more pliable, and you can form a patty shape with 3-4 shrimps, depending on the burger bun size.
Ebi Katsu Burgers in fast food restaurants use smaller shrimps (because they are cheaper), but if you’re making it at home, you can buy larger shrimps to make Ebi Katsu Burger.  It’s the benefit of home cooking!  And the larger shrimps definitely has better texture.

Thinly Shredded Cabbage

Why shredded cabbage?  I often receive this question when my readers read my tonkatsu and chicken katsu recipes.  Shredded cabbage is always served with katsu, it’s the norm in Japan.  The crisp texture of cabbage and refreshing green leaves complements deep fried dishes well.  So almost always, deep fried katsu burger includes shredded cabbage.  The tip to cut cabbage super thinly?  Use a sharp knife, and practice.

Homemade Tartar Sauce

Panko crusted seafoods such as crab croquette and Ebi Fry are typically served with tartar sauce in Japan.  If you have your favorite recipe, you can use it.  Otherwise, my recipe here is a quick and delicious recipe that can be handy.

Burger Buns

I use brioche buns for this burger, but you can use any buns you like.  These buns are from Drager’s, a local market here in the SF Bay Area.  When I was shopping for meat there, I found these buns nearby and I really love how fluffy and soft they are.  Trader Joe’s now sell brioche buns too, but the size of buns is larger than what I wanted.
I hope you enjoy making this Ebi Katsu Burger recipe!  If you try it, don’t forget to share your picture on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter with #JustOneCookbook.  Thank you so much for reading and till next time!

Ingredients

• 2 cups (110 g) panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil for panko
• 12 large shrimp
• freshly ground black pepper
• kosher salt
• ¼ cup (4 Tbsp.) all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil for egg
• 3 brioche buns or burger buns

Tartar sauce

• ¼ small onion (1 shallot)
• 8 cornichons or gherkins
• ½ cup (8 Tbsp.) Japanese mayonnaise
• ½ - 1 Tbsp. white wine (See Note)
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
  

Instructions

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 375F (190C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
2. Combine 2 cups panko and 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a frying pan and toast over medium heat until golden brown.
   
3. Transfer panko to a shallow dish and allow to cool. Once cooled, save half of toasted panko in an airtight container.
   
4. Lay the shrimp on the cutting board and make small incisions (1/8 inch or 3 mm deep) lengthwise and widthwise (grid pattern) on one side of the shrimp. Do not cut through. This helps shrimp become more pliable and cook faster. Using 3-4 shrimp, make a round shape that is about the size of your buns. If the shrimp is not pliable, make small incisions, so it’s easier to make a nice round shape.
   
5. Season with freshly ground black pepper and kosher salt.
   
6. Prepare flour and egg. Add 1 Tbsp. olive oil to the egg. The olive oil will help panko adhere to the shrimp.
   
7. Dredge each shrimp patty in the flour to coat completely and pat off the excess flour.
   
8. Then dip into the beaten egg.
   
9. Transfer to toasted panko and coat the shrimp with toasted panko without moving the shrimps. Press on the panko flakes to make sure they adhere to the shrimp. You want to maintain the patty shape as much as possible.
   
10. Scoop patty up with a spatula and flip over to your hand to remove excess panko that might be sitting on the shrimp.
    
11. Transfer to the baking sheet and bake at 375F (C) for 15 minutes.
    
12. While baking the shrimp, shred the cabbage leaves. Cut off the tough core of the cabbage and then roll up the cabbage leaves to thinly slice.
    
13. Make the tartar sauce. Mince the onion and soak in water for 10 minutes to remove the bitterness.
    
14. Mince the cornichons.
    
15. Combine the minced onion and cornichons in a bowl. Add ½ cup mayonnaise.
    
16. Add the ½ - 1 Tbsp. white wine until the desired consistency and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
    
17. Take out from the oven and let cool on a wire rack so that the bottom of shrimp doesn’t get soggy.
    
18. Heat a frying pan and toast the buns. Spread mustard on the buns.
    
19. Place Ebi Katsu, then shredded cabbage, and finally place tartar sauce on top. Serve immediately.
    

Notes

White Wine: You can alternatively use Champagne or white wine vinegar.