Cutlets can be made from any type of meat, but to keep them tender, slice the meat against the grain into small, flat pieces about 1 to 1.5 centimeters thick. Pound the meat on both sides, flipping it twice. A convenient way to do this is to wrap the cut piece in plastic wrap or place it in a plastic bag (this keeps your workspace and tools clean). The cutlets should be thin but not translucent—otherwise the meat will be tough to chew. When frying pork, work in batches, placing 2 to 3 cutlets in the pan at a time. For a fatty pork cutlet, avoid serving fried potatoes, especially French fries—even mashed potatoes with this dish can be heavy on the stomach and waistline. Instead, serve grilled vegetables like zucchini, eggplant, and bell peppers, or stewed or pickled cabbage alongside the pork. A complementary sauce is made from sour apples and honey.
Ingredients: pork tenderloin – 500 g; flour – 150 g; eggs – 2; a mixture of spices (khmeli-suneli) – 1 tsp; ground coriander – 1/2 tsp; ground black pepper – to taste; paprika – a pinch; salt – to taste; vegetable oil (for frying) – 1-2 tbsp.
Pound the pork tenderloin and rub it on both sides with a mixture of salt and black pepper.
Beat the eggs in a bowl, then add paprika, khmeli-suneli, and coriander. Mix well.
Pour the flour onto a flat plate.
Dip each cutlet into the beaten eggs, then coat it in flour.
Place the cutlets in a pan with heated oil and fry them over high heat for 10 seconds on each side. Then reduce the heat and continue cooking the cutlets until they are golden brown (about 3-4 minutes per side). Pork needs to be cooked more thoroughly than beef: the meat fibers should be completely cooked through.
Pro tip
Not all cooks understand why cutlets curl up in the pan. The fat inside the meat melts and leaks out when heated, and the muscle fibers contract, which makes the cutlet curl. Trim the layer of fat from the meat with a sharp knife before cooking to prevent this.
