Japanese curry may be the ultimate comfort food in my books. With its spices and stewed vegetables, it instantly warms you up, especially on a cold winter day.
This version of curry isn't like the Indian curry most people are familiar with, but it does have influence from India. During the Meiji era, British troops introduced curry to the Japanese navy. They quickly adopted it and added their own twist, making it an instantly recognizable dish in Japan. This is slightly sweeter and not as spicy, though it depends on which brand of curry roux you buy.
For this recipe, I made it vegetarian/vegan, but it's commonly eaten with some type of protein like tonkatsu (deep-fried pork cutlet), beef, or chicken. To keep it meatless, I suggest serving this with my crispy fried tofu. Of course, you should also serve it with white rice, or even pour it over udon!
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 large yellow or white onion, peeled and cut into 1/2” wedges
1 medium carrot, peeled and cut diagonally into 1/2” slices
1/4 tbsp grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 1/2 cups water or chicken broth
1 medium Yukon Gold potato, peeled and cut into 1” chunks
1/2 apple, peeled and grated into a mushy consistency (like apple sauce)
1/2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 box Japanese curry roux
1/4 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tbsp ketchup
Salt, to taste
Instructions
Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until softened and lightly browned.
Add carrots, grated ginger, and garlic. Sauté everything for a few minutes. Then, add water or chicken broth and bring to a boil.
Add the potato, grated apple, and brown sugar. Lower the heat, cover the pot, and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Break the curry roux into smaller pieces and add into the pot to dissolve. Add the soy sauce and ketchup, as well. Simmer uncovered on low heat and stir occasionally, until curry thickens and potatoes are cooked through. It should take about 15 to 20 minutes. Salt to taste.
Serve with short-grain white rice and a side of protein, like tonkatsu.
Notes:
If you want to add meat directly into the curry (I suggest chunks of chicken or beef), add in the meat at the same time as the onions. Continue with the rest of the recipe.
You can freeze any leftover curry. Let cool first, then divide into containers as needed. Reheat in a pot, adding water if needed.
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