Japanese curry, or kare, has a thick, sweet gravy made from roux and is commonly prepared at home. Its origins are attributed to the British Navy during the Meiji period, but it has since evolved into a unique dish with regional variations. The gravy is made using pre-prepared curry roux, which contains a base of vegetable oil, flour or cornstarch, and curry spices. It is typically served with rice and fukujinzuke pickles.
Japanese curry is made from roux and is associated with Japan. Called kare, people eat this popular curry in restaurants and commonly prepare it at home. Its origins are attributed to the British Navy, which introduced curry during the Meiji period when India was under British rule. Although the originally introduced curry had a strong Indian influence, Japanese curry in its current form is very different. Many areas of Japan now have their own unique regional curries.
Kare has a very thick and smooth gravy that is sweeter and less spicy than its Indian counterparts. Like Indian curry, however, cooks prepare it using meat, vegetables and spices. While a large variety of vegetables can be used in Japanese curries, the most common ones include potatoes, onions, and carrots. Kabocha and daikon are also popular choices. The meat is usually beef, pork, chicken or shrimp.
The Japanese style of curry differs from any other curry in the preparation of the gravy. While the gravy can be made from scratch, in Japan, cooks most often make it using a pre-prepared curry. This roux is easily found in Japanese supermarkets and comes in the form of solid bars, powders, and bags, which people boil before adding. In North America, Japanese curry roux is most commonly found in bar form. Curry roux comes in hot, medium, and mild.
A Japanese curry roux contains a base of vegetable oil, wheat flour or cornstarch with salt and sugar. Curry spices include turmeric, coriander and cumin. Other toppings may include onion powder, powdered milk, or honey, among others. Yeast extract is also a common ingredient.
To prepare a Japanese curry, cook the chopped onions and fry them briefly in the pan before adding the meat, garlic, carrot and potato. They cook the ingredients until the meat is browned all over and then add water. After bringing to a boil, it simmers over medium-low heat until the meat is cooked through and tender; it takes about 10 to 20 minutes. When the pan comes off the heat, the cooks add the curry roux and stir it. If the curry roux is solid, cooks break it up into several smaller pieces and stir it around the pot until it’s completely melted.
The curry is then covered and left for about 10 minutes to allow the roux to thicken before serving. It is most commonly served with rice and accompanied by fukujinzuke, a specially designed, crunchy Japanese pickle made from daikon, cucumber, and soy sauce and other ingredients. This type of curry is also served on noodles, soups and steamed buns.
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