Steps

1. Remove the core from 1/4 head of cabbage.
   🕒 00:17
2. Peel the cabbage leaves 2 to 3 at a time and cut them in half.
   🕒 00:30
3. Lay the cabbage flat and cut into 1cm strips, then turn and cut into 1cm strips again to create 1cm cubes. [Key Tip!] For parts closer to the core, it's best to first cut into 1cm strips, then chop roughly into 1cm strips to get 1cm cubes.
   🕒 00:53
4. Place the cut cabbage in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave for about 5 minutes until thoroughly heated. [Key Tip!] Pre-heating the cabbage brings out its sweetness and prevents the meat from overcooking when frying the menchi katsu.
   🕒 02:04
5. Transfer the heated cabbage to a bowl, add 2 pinches of salt, and mix well. [Key Tip!] The salt is not for seasoning but to draw out excess moisture from the cabbage through osmosis.
   🕒 02:30
6. Fill a larger bowl with ice and place the bowl with cabbage on top. Let it cool for about 15 minutes, mixing every 5 minutes. [Key Tip!] Mixing with the ground meat without cooling will cause the meat's fat to melt, leading to a loss of flavor.
   🕒 03:07
7. Mix the sauce ingredients: 1.5 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce, 1.5 tbsp Ketchup, 0.5 tbsp Soy Sauce, 1 tbsp Sugar, 2 tsp Lemon Juice, and 1.5 tbsp Water. Combine them in a bowl and mix well.
   🕒 03:34
8. Make the batter: Whisk 1 egg in a bowl, then add 2 tbsp Water and 3 tbsp All-purpose Flour. Mix thoroughly with a whisk until smooth with no lumps. Chill in the refrigerator. [Key Tip!] Since the batter is a mixture of flour and egg, it can reduce the number of coating steps.
   🕒 04:17
9. Add the 180g of Ground Pork and Beef Mix, straight from the refrigerator, to a bowl. Add 2.7g of Salt and knead thoroughly until it becomes sticky. [Key Tip!] Use cold meat as warm meat will cause the flavorful fat to melt. Kneading with salt creates stickiness and seals in the juices.
   🕒 05:13
10. Add 1 Egg, 1 tbsp Potato Starch, and 10g Parmesan Cheese to the sticky meat mixture and mix until everything is combined.
    🕒 05:50
11. Squeeze out excess moisture from the cooled cabbage and add it to the meat mixture. Mix thoroughly. [Key Tip!] Thoroughly squeezing the cabbage prevents the menchi katsu from becoming watery and diluting the flavor.
    🕒 06:19
12. Divide the meat mixture into 4 portions. Shape each portion into a ball by tossing it back and forth like a game of catch to remove air. Check for any cracks. [Key Tip!] Removing air prevents the meat from cracking and the juices from leaking out during frying.
    🕒 06:57
13. Prepare for coating: Arrange a generous amount of Panko Breadcrumbs, the chilled batter (re-whisk if necessary), and the shaped menchi katsu.
    🕒 07:36
14. Gently dip the meat patty into the batter with your left hand, ensuring both sides are well coated.
    🕒 08:04
15. Transfer the battered patty to the panko. Use your right hand to scoop panko and cover the entire patty. Gently press to ensure the sides are also well coated. [Key Tip!] Using your left hand for the batter and your right hand for the panko helps keep your hands from becoming sticky and allows for smooth work.
    🕒 08:17
16. Fill a frying pan generously with oil and heat over medium heat to around 160℃ (320°F).
    🕒 08:46
17. Once the oil reaches 160℃ (320°F), reduce the heat to low and gently place the menchi katsu into the oil.
    🕒 09:11
18. Fry the menchi katsu for 2 minutes, flip, and fry for another 2 minutes. Repeat this process for a total of 4 sets (2 minutes per side, alternating). Adjust the oil temperature to maintain between 150℃ and 160℃ (300°F to 320°F) while frying. [Key Tip!] Frying for 4 minutes on one side can result in uneven cooking, so alternating sides is key.
    🕒 09:26
19. Remove any fried bits that appear during cooking, as they can cause burning.
    🕒 09:53
20. Remove the fried menchi katsu and let it rest for about 5 minutes. [Key Tip!] Resting allows the juices to settle, preventing them from flowing out when cut.
    🕒 10:21
21. While the menchi katsu is resting, gently heat the prepared sauce over low heat until it boils and thickens. [Key Tip!] Boiling the sauce mellows the acidity and allows the flavors to meld. The thickened sauce will adhere well to the menchi katsu.
    🕒 10:43
22. Cut the rested menchi katsu and arrange it on a plate.
    🕒 11:08