Japanese chicken curry recipe: the authentic homemade version

In short: to make Japanese curry at home, fry the onions, carrots and potatoes, add 800 ml of dashi or water and simmer for 15 minutes. Then remove from the heat and melt in 100 g of curry roux. Let it thicken over a low heat for 10 minutes and serve over Japanese rice.

Japanese curry, or karē raisu, is a family favourite in Japan: a thick, brown, gently spiced sauce coating tender vegetables and slow-cooked meat. Sweeter and less hot than an Indian curry, it can be made in under an hour thanks to the roux, a block of spices and flour that melts to thicken the sauce.

A recipe from abroad

Curry arrived in Japan in the late 19^th century through the British Navy, which served it to its crews. The Imperial Japanese Navy adopted it in turn: even today, ships of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force serve curry every Friday. Thickened with flour and made milder over the decades, it has become a Japanese dish in its own right, served in canteens and restaurants alike.

Ingredients for 4 people

• 400 g of stewing beef, pork or chicken
• 2 onions, 2 carrots and 3 potatoes
• 800 ml of dashi or water
• 100 g of Japanese curry roux
• 1 tablespoon of neutral oil
• 300 g of uncooked Japanese rice

Our curry roux comes in several strengths, from mild to hot. For the mildest sauce, choose mild; for a spicier curry, combine two strengths.

The step-by-step recipe

1. The onions: thinly slice them and fry in the oil for 10 minutes, until well browned. The more they caramelise, the sweeter and richer the sauce will be.
2. The meat: add the meat cut into pieces and brown it on all sides.
3. The vegetables: add the carrots and potatoes cut into large cubes.
4. Adding the liquid: pour in the dashi, bring to the boil, skim off any foam, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
5. The roux: turn off the heat, add the roux broken into squares and stir until completely melted.
6. To finish: return to a low heat for 10 minutes, stirring until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.

While the curry simmers, cook the rice using our Japanese rice cooking method.

One pitfall to avoid: adding the roux to boiling liquid. It will form lumps; off the heat, it melts in smoothly.

Japanese families’ secret ingredients

Every family has its own finishing touch, added towards the end of cooking to round out the sauce:

• Half a grated apple, for fruity sweetness.
• A square of dark chocolate, for depth and colour.
• A spoonful of honey, to mellow the spices.
• A dash of soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce, for umami.
• A little instant coffee or ketchup, depending on the household.

Many Japanese people say curry tastes even better the next day, once the flavours have had time to meld.

Japanese curry or Indian curry?

The accompaniments

In Japan, curry is always served with Japanese rice in a deep plate, with the sauce on one side and the rice on the other. It comes with sweet-and-sour pickles such as rakkyo, small pickled shallots that refresh the palate. It also comes as katsu karē, topped with a panko-breaded cutlet, or curry udon, thinned with dashi to coat the noodles.

Storage

Curry keeps for three days in the fridge. It freezes very well if you remove the potatoes, which turn floury. Reheat it over a low heat with a little water: the sauce thickens as it cools.

Frequently asked questions

Enjoy your meal

Japanese curry is well worth making in a large batch: reheated the next day, it tastes even better. Itadakimasu!