Japanese Curry Rice

 During summertime, many people in Japan enjoy hot and spicy food because they believe spices help cool you down by making you perspire, while building an appetite to fight the sweltering weather. Because of this, many people turn to Japanese curry -- the perfect spicy dish!

Made from rice, curry sauce, and a wide variety of vegetables and meat, it is commonly served in three main forms: curry rice, karē udon (thick noodles) and karē-pan (bread). The basic vegetables used in the dish are onions, carrots and potatoes. Various curry dishes can contain chicken, pork, beef, and seafood.

Japanese curry can be served in anything from a soup bowl to a simple flat plate. It is normally poured over rice that is already in the center of the dish. Curry on rice can be considered a national dish, similar to ramen noodles. Because curry goes so well with rice, a staple food in Japan, it is a favorite dish in nearly every Japanese home and school kitchen.

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History of Japanese Curry

The roots of Japanese curry can be found in masala, an Indian spice blend. Cooking with curry originated in India, which at the time was under the administration of the British. The British brought this spice blend back to England, where it eventually became curry powder. This then made its way to Japan in the first half of the 19th century during a period of time known as the Meiji era, and Japanese curry was born.

In Japan, it is common to start with curry roux when preparing curry at home. Roux is made by slowly cooking a mixture of flour, oil, seasonings, spices, and other ingredients until it is reduced (concentrated by cooking off most of the moisture). It is then formed into blocks for use in making curry. The use of curry roux makes it possible to easily prepare a perfect pot of curry every time.

Savory, Spice, and Everything Nice

Curry is widely considered a precious and nutritious health food because of the below spices. These spices are used in a traditional system of Indian medicine called Ayurveda, or Life Sciences, which incorporates them into a daily routine to assure a long and healthy life. People from India commonly use more than 20 different spices in their everyday cooking as they follow a holistic principle of Ayurvedic medicine: "A healthy diet will promote wellness and balance for the body, mind, and spirit."

Curry sauce is made up of many spices that may aid with benefits such as:

Cardamom:

Improve appetite, relieves flatulence, and induce sweating

Turmeric:

Aid in increasing liver function, healing fatigue, and acting as an anticancer agent

Cumin: 

Improve appetite and digestion

Black pepper: 

Stimulate appetite, digestion, and circulation

Coriander:

Help purify the blood, induce sweating, and aid in digestion

Red pepper: 

Help to improve heart and circulation, as well as induce sweating

Cinnamon: 

Can act as a stimulant and detoxifier

Nutmeg:

 Has analgesic effects and may aid in sleep

Fenugreek: 

Has been known to bring down fevers and help with acid indigestion

Bay leaf: 

Contribute to good digestion

The Secret Ingredients to Making Yummy Japanese Curry

Compared to Indian curry, Japanese curry has a mellower flavor and can taste quite different depending on the spiciness. While generally speaking, the main components of Japanese curry are carrots, potatoes and onions, some people like to give it a twist by adding their own secret ingredients. Here are a few of them frequently used by curry experts in Japan.

Oyster sauce

According to a Japanese TV interview with curry experts, one of the secrets behind delicious curry is oyster sauce. They said adding about half a spoonful of oyster sauce to curry for 3 to 4 could make it smell and taste even better.

Pure cocoa powder

Another ingredient beloved by curry experts is "pure cocoa powder", as its bitterness can highlight and enrich the curry flavor. Similar to oyster sauce, simply add 5g to 10g of pure cocoa powder to curry cooked for 3 or 4 people.

 Yogurt

Slightly sour yogurt is the key to making curry with a refreshing flavor. Not only does it enhance curry’s original flavor, the sourness of yogurt can also increase appetite and neutralize spiciness, perfect for those who prefer a more delicate taste. If you don't have yogurt at hand, try using vinegar instead.

Leaving Curry Out Overnight? The Hidden Rules to Making Japanese Curry

As curry became a popular household dish in Japan, a lot of hidden rules for making and eating Japanese curry had emerged as well. Here are some of those interesting practices and controversies:

Eating curry with tsukemono (Japanese pickles)

It is common for the Japanese to eat curry with tsukemono like [fukujinzuke pickled daikon and leeks]. This habit originated from Japanese merchant ships in the early 20th century as the restaurants at sea would serve curry garnished with tsukemono. The two went unexpectedly well together, and therefore had slowly become a custom combo among commoners.

Eating separately or mixing together?

How do you like to eat curry? In Japan, there has always been heated discussions about whether to mix all curry with rice, or to eat them spoon by spoon. While some people think that the former method is very messy and would waste the original deliciousness of curry, some think it is meaningless and troublesome to separate them if they would just end up mixing together in the mouth. For now, the public tends to favor the latter. How about you?

Overnight curry is the best

In Japan, there is a saying that "overnight curry tastes even better", even among chefs. This is basically correct and scientifically proven, as leaving curry at room temperature for a night not only allows the ingredients to fully absorb the sauce, but also neutralizes the irritating taste that the Japanese dislike, making the curry more delicious. However, curry kept at room temperature goes bad easily and even reheating is not enough to rule out food poisoning. Therefore, it is generally not recommended to leave the food out all night.

So Much More than Just One Type – The Evolution of Japanese Curry

Ever since the introduction of curry into Japan, a lot of unique flavors as well as innovative dishes have been created. Here are some of the highly recommended Japanese curry cuisines and restaurants that are worth a try!

Traditional Japanese Curry

"Japanese curry" refers to traditional curry that suits the tastes of the Japanese, and is a simple recipe that every family can handle. While the ingredients vary greatly with the restaurant and family, the key to tastiness is always the curry paste. Nowadays, although most people like using curry cubes for seasoning, some would opt for traditional curry powder to personalize their favorite flavor.

Soup Curry

In the creation of diverse Japanese curry tastes, much focus has been placed on the variation of ingredients. On the other hand, the [Soup curry] that originated from Sapporo is more about the flavor and eating method. It turned the generally thick sauce into curry-flavored soup filled with ingredients just like herbal soup, which has become the city’s specialty dish.

Navy Curry

It is said that when curry first came to Japan, its taste was based on the curry served in the British navy battleship’s canteen. In order to prevent beriberi among Japanese marines who ate rice as staple food, they adopted the British naval force’s curry, which consisted of both vegetable and meat and was easy to prepare. Nowadays, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) continued this curry tradition, and even brought in something new by altering the seasonings and ingredients, creating a taste of their own with limited resources on the sea, namely the [navy curry].

Curry Udon Noodles

Among numerous Japanese curry dishes, [Curry udon], replacing rice with udon, was quite a novelty at the time of its launch. Japanese broth is usually added into the curry to create a milder taste, which is why the dish is particularly popular among children. Another thing to note is that green onion is also known as nanban, and therefore curry udon garnished with chopped green onions is called [Curry nanban udon].

Katsu Curry

Katsu curry is a Japanese dish consisting of a pork cutlet (tonkatsu) served with a portion of Japanese rice and curry. It is served on a large plate and is typically eaten using a spoon or fork. The cutlet is usually precut into strips, eliminating the need for a knife.

Generally eaten as a main course, the dish can be accompanied with water or miso soup. In Japan, there are fast-food restaurant chains which specialize in serving katsu curry, with varying meats and types of curry. The pork cutlet can be substituted with chicken.