Japanese Curry

I would like to present Eileen’s Japanese Curry! Japanese curry has always been one of my favorite food groups. It is one of my staple, go-to meals, but despite making it at least once every 2 weeks, I have always relied on those boxed curry cubes that you can get in any Asian market. Well, enough I say! I want to be able to control all of the ingredients that go into my curry, and I also want the ability to tweak the spices as I see fit. So, I have created my very own Japanese curry spice blend! Making your own curry blend also has the added advantage of being more flexible in terms of the dishes you can make. I have made a simple curry dish this time around, but oh the possibilities!

Quick note: I included ranges of percentages so you can play around with different amounts of things to achieve different tastes.

Eileen’s Japanese Curry Spice Blend

• The Base (80 - 90%)

  • 25 g Turmeric (20 - 50%)

  • 30 g Coriander (20 - 30%)

  • 15 g Cumin (5 - 25%)

  • 15 g Cardamom (5 - 15%)

• The Heat (5 - 10%)

  • 4 g Black Pepper (2 - 8%)

  • 3 g Cayenne Pepper (0.5 - 2%)

• The Sweet and Aromatic (5 - 15%)

  • 4 g Clove (3 - 5%)

  • 2 g Fennel (1 - 3%)

• “Other” Spices (These are spices that are added to give your curry distinction. This is where you can play the most. I will include the spices I used but feel free to omit anything or add in others that I have not mentioned)

  • 1 g Cinnamon

  • 1 g Allspice

  • 1 g Chinese Five Spice

  • 1 g Nutmeg

  • 2 g Coffee Powder (I used instant)

  • 2 g Cocoa Powder

  • 10 g Ginger Powder

  • 5 g Mustard Powder

  • 1 g Celery Salt

  • 1 g Paprika

  • 1 g Salt

  • 1 g Citric Acid

Japanese Curry Dish

• 1 lbs Sirloin Beef (Cubed)

• 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce

• 2 Tbsp Sesame Oil

• 1 Tbsp Ginger Powder

• 2 Onions (Small and Diced)

• 4 - 6 Tbsp Eileen’s Japanese Curry Spice Blend (Depending on how strong you want the taste)

• 1 Bay Leaf

• 3 - 5 Cups Beef Stock (Can be substituted with just water)

• 1 Cup Carrot (Diced)

• 1 Cup Potato (Diced)

• 2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter

• 2 Tbsp AP Flour

• Slice of Dried Mango (optional)

  • I used this to add a bit of fruitiness and sweetness to my curry. Another option would be dried orange peels.

1. Marinade the sirloin beef in the soy sauce, sesame oil, and ginger powder. This can be done 30 minutes before cooking or overnight.

2. Brown the beef in the pot that you are using to make curry over medium to medium-high heat.

3. Add in one of the onions, diced, and sauté for 5 minutes. The other onion will be added at a different stage later on. Doing this will give you the sweet, slowly-stewed onion taste as well as onion that has more of a bite.

4. Add in the curry spice blend and sauté for another 5 minutes. Heating the spices will make them more fragrant.

5. Add in the bay leaf, beef stock (or water), and dried mango (optional). Let it slowly simmer for 1 hour. Add in more liquid 1/2 Cup at a time as needed to make sure the pot doesn’t dry out.

6. Add in the carrot and the remaining onion and continue to simmer for another 15 - 20 minutes.

7. On the side, in a small pan, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Then add in the flour to make a roux. Cook the roux until it becomes a light caramel color.

8. Add in the roux and the potatoes and continue to simmer for another 15 - 20 minutes.

9. Season the curry with salt to taste. Optionally, additional seasonings that can be used are sugar and vinegar but only use the slightest amount to lift the flavors of the curry.

Serve with rice and something pickled. My personal favorite is pickled red ginger.

As with most curries, the longer the flavors are allowed to mature and meld together, the better it will taste. The total simmering time should be 1.5 - 2 hours at least.