Tonkatsu sauce

Very similar to its sauce cousins like okonomiyaki sauce or yakisoba sauce, tonkatsu sauce is kind of like a thicker, sweeter Worcestershire.

As the name suggests, tonkatsu sauce is primarily served as a condiment for tonkatsu — although there’s nothing stopping you from adding it to whatever dish you please. Tonkatsu is basically Japanese schnitzel: When not specified otherwise, it’s general pork, pounded into a cutlet, coated in panko bread crumbs, and fried. With sauce or not, it’s absolutely delectable.

Of course, tonkatsu sauce can really accompany whatever foods you’d like. It’s slightly thick, sweet-but-not-too-sweet, mildly savory and tangy — a perfect pairing to other ingredients that are richer and more salty and savory together, but also with many types of vegetables and even seafood, too.

Popular brands of tonkatsu sauce include Bulldog, which you can buy in stores like Uwajimaya, but it’s also not too hard to make your own at home. Different recipes online can include variations, but it’s generally some version of Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, and some sweeter ingredients like oyster sauce and sugar. Some versions may include dry mustard, soy sauce, lemon juice, and other ingredients to taste.

Whether you’re buying ready-made tonkatsu sauce or the ingredients to make your own, you can find it all at Uwajimaya!