Ever wonder what your favorite Japanese restaurant does to make its chicken Katsu so crisp, or to add that little bit of crunch to spicy tuna sushi rolls? If you peeked into the kitchen, chances are you'd see a bag of panko breadcrumbs.

Panko breadcrumbs are as different from regular breadcrumbs as snowflakes are from sand. Made of specially baked wheat bread that's been crumbled into big flakes and then toasted, they are and have a lighter texture than your typical can of Progresso Bread Crumbs. When used in fried or baked foods, they are crisp and light, reminiscent of another Japanese favorite, tempura.

While panko crumbs were first created in Japan only about 35 years ago, they've developed quite a following among chefs and home cooks, for both Asian and non-Asian dishes. In Asian cuisine, particularly Japanese, panko is used to coat deep-fried foods like chicken cutlets or salmon fillets, or those crispy fried shrimp that come on the top of your bowl of ramen noodles. Asian celebrity chef Ming Tsai says he finds panko crumbs to be better even than homemade breadcrumbs, and uses them for everything from Asian-style meatloaf to stuffed eggplant to crusted soft-shell crab. His recipe for Spiced Panko Bread Crumbs can be used to bread cutlets or top casseroles and gratins.

There are plenty of non-Asian applications for panko crumbs. I use them in nearly any recipe that calls for breadcrumbs, such as in meatloaf or crab cakes. If you're craving fried foods, you can use panko crumbs as a coating (just brush on a beaten egg or some mustard first to make them stick) and oven bake fish fillets or chicken. The coating makes them as crisp as Kentucky Fried, and not nearly as sinful. You can also pan-fry or deep-fry meats and vegetables with panko coating, or combine the breadcrumbs with a tiny bit of melted butter or olive oil, plus herbs, spices or hard grated cheeses and use the mixture to top casseroles, macaroni and cheese, or other baked dishes.

Panko crumbs are becoming increasingly easier to find. Once a specialty only available at Japanese markets, now they're on the shelves of most well-stocked grocery stores and specialty food stores, and even can be found in some Wal-Mart locations.

In addition to the plain variety, panko crumbs also come in a few other flavors, such as honey, Italian and herb. Plain panko crumbs are best for easy, satisfying Panko-Crusted Salmon with Lingonberry Mustard.

Kikkoman Panko Bread Crumbs

Cost: 8 ounces for $2.49

Where to Buy: Larger supermarkets, Whole Foods, or online.

Image: Ming Tsai