Panko

Panko is used in many fried food recipes to give a light, crunchy coating, but what IS panko?
Derived from the japanese word pan, meaning bread, and ko, a term used to describe pulverized grain, panko is the japanese version of bread crumbs. It is roughly shaped so that the crumbs lie unevenly on top of each other, creating a light, crispy coating on fried foods. But this isn't the only use for panko. Mix it into meatloaf mixture and other dishes requiring a filler. It can be used anywhere regular bread crumbs are called for.
There are two different varities of panko. White panko is made from bread that has had the crusts removed and golden panko still has some of the crusts left on. Panko is available at most large grocery store chains in the Asian food aisle or from Asian markets