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A plate of kare raisu or Japanese curry rice has the power to nourish the body and soul on even the coldest of days. While you can make Japanese curry—beloved for its mildly spicy, umami-rich flavor—from scratch, it’s an easy dish to throw together with just three ingredients. All you need is a box of curry roux cubes and your choice of protein and vegetable.
Whenever I make Japanese curry, I’m always surprised at how quickly the dish comes together. The curry roux cubes melt into a pan of sautéed chicken, potatoes, and a couple cups of water in just a few minutes, resulting in a velvety sauce perfect for spooning over rice. Read on to find out how to make it for yourself.
What Is Japanese Curry?
During the Meiji era (1868 to1912), curry was brought to Japan by British naval officers, who adapted Indian curry to satisfy their own palates and shared that version with the Japanese. Since then, the dish evolved into a national staple that commonly features chunks of protein and potatoes, carrots, and onions coated in a sweet and savory brown sauce. It’s eaten with rice in households, restaurants, and other venues across Japan and is often served with fukujinzuke (sweet and salty pickles) or tonkatsu (deep-fried pork cutlet).
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What Are Curry Roux Cubes?
In the 1920s, Minejiro Yamazai invented Japan’s first curry powder and eventually founded S&B, which eventually introduced block-shaped curry sauce or roux mixes. S&B’s Golden Curry is the one most widely available at many supermarket chains, Asian grocery stores such as H-Mart, and online retailers like Amazon. The curry has three different heat varieties: mild, medium hot, and hot. You can also look for other curry roux brands such as Vermont, Kokumaro, and Java curries. Most curry roux cubes are thickened with flour or sometimes corn starch. It often features warm spices like garam masala and curry powder, and is sweetened with fruit and/or honey.
How to Make Basic Japanese Curry
You can keep things super simple and cook a batch of Japanese curry with a box of roux cubes with a protein of your choice—chicken is my go-to but lamb, beef, and shrimp are also possibilities—and a couple of cubed potatoes. Or you can sub one or both of the potatoes for other vegetables like carrots and onions to produce a more traditional Japanese curry.
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 pound chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes (or another protein of your choice)
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1 3.2-ounce package of curry cubes (such as S&B’s Golden Curry)
Directions
How Long Does Japanese Curry Last?
Store your leftover curry in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Glass containers work best, as the curry’s golden color and potent odor are more likely to stick to plastic ones. Like many soups and stews, I think it tastes even better the next day, when the flavors have the chance to meld together. Japanese curry also freezes really well and will last up to three months in your ice box in an airtight container.
Japanese Curry Tips and Variations
- Serve your curry with rice. I like my curry with jasmine rice, but you can also whip up a batch of rice noodles, naan, or crusty bread! The sauce is perfect for sopping up with any carb.
- Stir in coconut milk. While Japanese curries don’t contain dairy, I grew up eating my mom’s Thai curries, which are often made with unsweetened coconut milk. So I often add a half or full can of it to my Japanese curry to give the sauce an extra smooth texture and a slightly nutty flavor.
- Mix up the produce. Potatoes, carrots, and onion are just a few of the veggies that taste great in Japanese curry. Try it with peas, sweet potatoes, bell peppers, bamboo shoots, or baby corn.
- Make it hotter. To make your curry spicier, add a couple diced chilis (Thai, jalapeño, and serrano all work well) or a pinch of cayenne.
- Lighten the spice. In the past, I’ve been confused about how many curry roux cubes to add to a batch. I use the entire package, but how many you should add depends on how potent you want your curry to be. If you’re unsure, start with two to four, then stir in more after tasting the sauce.
- Take things to the next level. Allrecipes contributer MMSVA’s Japanese curry recipe features Worcestershire sauce and ketchup, which makes the sauce extra sweet and tangy. Another option? Try Diana71’s recipe to make Japanese curry in an Instant Pot.
20 Easy Japanese Recipes for Quick Weeknight Dinners
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