This Pheasant Katsu and Macaroni Salad will transport you to the islands of Hawai’i! It might be hard to tell with my dirty blonde hair and blue eyes, but I am related to Queen Liliʻuokalani! Super cool. If you ever see my mom, it will make more sense. I am the spitting image of my dad, but she has the beautiful olive skin and dark hair.
Anywho, having visited Hawai’i several times and getting to learn about the culture, I was blown away with all of the delicious food. Fresh seafood, Fresh fruit, malasadas, loco moco, etc. It is all so good! One of the dishes I especially loved was chicken katsu. Normally served with macaroni salad and rice drizzled with tonkatsu sauce, it is so tasty! I have been itching to go back to Hawai’i, not only for the beautiful views and friendly locals, but also the tasty food. I figured if I couldn’t go to Hawai’i, I could bring Hawai’i to me and my family.
I do have to say, if you go visit Hawai’i, please leave it better than you found it. Respect the signs that are out, warning of danger or not to trespass. The wildlife should be protected at all cost, so do your best if you are going to be respectful. While tourism is a major source of income for Hawai’i, we must keep it beautiful and be respectful of their culture. Do not be a haole.
Pheasant Katsu and Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
Pheasant Katsu Ingredients:
- 4 pheasant breasts skinless
- vegetable oil enough to fry ¼ inch deep
- 2 large eggs
- 2 T water
- ¾ C flour
- 1.5 C panko
- 1/4 tsp salt separated into 1/8 tsp
Macaroni Salad Ingredients:
- 16 oz elbow macaroni cooked according to box instructions
- 1 yellow onion
- 15 fl oz jar of Hellman’s mayo* getting this size is important
- 1 C matchstick carrots
- 2 T half & half
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp white pepper
- ½ tsp sugar
- 2 tsp white vinegar
Serve with:
- Rice
- Tonkatsu Sauce
Instructions
Macaroni Salad Directions:
- If you haven’t already, cook the macaroni according to the package instructions
- In a food processor, finely mince the onion. Add ½ C of Hellman’s mayo and process until a little frothy and fully incorporated.
- Add matchstick carrots and pulse 10 times. We are looking for the carrots to be a little more bite sized, but not minced/pureed.
- Drain the macaroni when it is done and set in a large bowl.
- Add the food processed ingredients to the macaroni.
- Add the remaining mayo but keep the container. Do not throw it away yet.
- Mix the mayo, food processed ingredients and macaroni.
- Add the half & half to the empty mayo jar and shake it up. This will add additional creaminess and flavor to the half & half.
- Add the half & half mixture to the bowl and stir to combine.
- Add salt, pepper, sugar, and white vinegar.
- Stir well to combine.
- Refrigerate at least until chilled, preferably overnight.
- Enjoy!
Pheasant Katsu Directions:
- Carefully tenderize pheasant breasts so they are all the same thickness (~1/4 to ½ inch). I do this by placing a breast on a cutting board, covering it with saran wrap and lightly hitting it with a meat tenderizer. Light hits go a long way.
- In a shallow dish, combine your eggs with the water.
- In another shallow dish, combine your flour with 1/8 tsp of salt. Mix.
- In a final shallow dish, combine your panko with 1/8 tsp of salt. Mix.
- In a frying pan, heat ¼ inch of vegetable oil on medium-high heat.
- While that heats, dredge your pheasant in flour mixture, lightly shaking off any excess flour.
- Next, place the pheasant in the egg mixture. Make sure it is coated and then allow any excess to drip off.
- Finally, coat the pheasant in panko generously. You may have to press it on to get it to stick to the egg/flour mixture. The more that sticks, the better the golden crust at the end.
- Transfer to a wax paper lined plate and repeat with the remaining pheasant.
- Once oil is hot, fry the pheasant 2-3 minutes per side or until golden brown/done. The breasts are so thin, that once golden they should be cooked through.
- Once cooked, place on a paper towel lined plate, so that the excess oil will be soaked up.
- Serve with macaroni salad, rice, and Tonkatsu Sauce! Enjoy!
Best view i have ever seen !
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