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Homemade Japanese Curry Rice (Kare Raisu) Recipe

Daniel Gritzer

Fresh spices and vegetables give this homemade Japanese curry a blast of flavor.

Homemade Japanese Curry Rice (Kare Raisu) Recipe

[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]

Japanese curry (or kare, as it's called in Japan) is one of the nation's most popular convenience and comfort foods. Most renditions come straight from a package, but by making it from scratch at home, you can get better, fresher, and bolder spice flavors throughout. This recipe captures a classic Japanese curry, complete with juicy pieces of chicken, tender nubbins of carrot, sweet peas, and silky chunks of potato, but it's seasoned with a homemade spice blend that's way better than what comes out of a tin. Feel free to adjust the spices to suit your own tastes—that's half the fun.

Why It Works

  • A homemade blend of spices delivers deeper, fresher flavors that are customizable to your own tastes.
  • Toasting the spices before grinding, then frying them in the roux, develops their flavors and infuses them throughout the dish.
  • Grated apple adds a subtly sweet tone to the dish, balancing the hot and strong spice flavors.
  • A broth made from both chicken stock and dashi is more complex, with a distinctly Japanese flavor.

Read more: How to Make From-Scratch Japanese Curry That's Better Than the Box

  • Yield:Serves 6
  • Active time: 1 1/2 hours
  • Total time:2 hours
  • Rated: 5

Ingredients

  • For the Curry Spice Blend:
  • 2 tablespoons (7g) whole coriander seed, toasted in a dry skillet until fragrant
  • 1 tablespoon (6g) whole cumin seed, toasted in a dry skillet until fragrant
  • 1 tablespoon (6g) whole fenugreek seed, toasted in a dry skillet until fragrant
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons (6g) cardamom seeds, toasted in a dry skillet until fragrant (see note)
  • 2 teaspoons (5g) whole black peppercorns, toasted in a dry skillet until fragrant
  • 1/2 teaspoon (2g) fennel seed, toasted in a dry skillet until fragrant
  • 1 (2-inch) piece cinnamon (3g)
  • 3 cloves
  • 1/2 of a star anise pod
  • 1 or 2 strips (1g) dehydrated orange peel (optional; see note)
  • 2 tablespoons (16g) ground turmeric
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon (1 to 2g) chili powder, depending on the intensity of your chili powder and how spicy you want the curry
  • Pinch grated fresh nutmeg
  • For the Stew:
  • 1 pound (450g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil, plus more as needed
  • 1 large yellow onion (1 pound; 450g), diced
  • 8 ounces carrots (225g; about 3 medium), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 quart (950ml) homemade chicken stock or store-bought low-sodium broth
  • 1 quart (950ml) homemade or instant dashi (see note)
  • 1 pound (450g) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
  • Half of 1 (6-ounce) apple, peeled, cored, and finely grated, minced, or puréed
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (4 ounces; 110g)
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (2 ounces; 55g)
  • 1 (2-inch) piece peeled fresh ginger, finely grated
  • 3 tablespoons (25g) Curry Spice Blend
  • 1 cup frozen peas (5.5 ounces; 160g), if desired
  • Warm short-grain rice, for serving
  • Pickled ginger and/or rakkyo (pickled Japanese scallion), for serving

Directions

  1. 1.

    For the Curry Spice Blend: In a spice grinder, combine coriander, cumin, fenugreek, cardamom, black peppercorns, fennel, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, and orange peel (if using) and grind to a fine powder. Empty into a small bowl and combine with turmeric, chili powder, and nutmeg, then set aside.

  2. 2.

    For the Stew: Season chicken all over with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chicken and cook, turning, until browned on both sides, about 6 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.

  3. 3.

    Add onion to Dutch oven, lower heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring, until golden, about 10 minutes. Add carrots and cook for 4 minutes. Add chicken stock and dashi and bring to a simmer over high heat; reduce heat to maintain a simmer.

  4. 4.

    Cut up chicken into bite-size pieces and add back to pot, along with any accumulated juices. Add potatoes and apple and cook at a gentle simmer until potatoes are tender and carrots can easily be pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes.

  5. 5.

    Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat until foaming. Stir in flour and cook, stirring, until roux is a deep caramel brown, about 20 minutes. Stir in ginger and 3 tablespoons (25g) Curry Spice Blend and cook for 1 minute.

  6. 6.

    Scrape roux into stew pot, stir well, and simmer until broth has thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in peas, if using, and cook until heated through.

  7. 7.

    Serve curry with cooked rice and pickled ginger and/or rakkyo.

Removable-Cup Spice Grinder

Review: The Best Spice Grinders $34.61 from Amazon

Le Creuset Dutch Oven

Review: The Best Cast Iron Dutch Ovens $367.96 from Amazon
This Recipe Appears In
How to Make From-Scratch Japanese Curry That's Better Than the Box

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Daniel Gritzer Culinary Director

Daniel cooked for years in some of New York's top American, Italian and French restaurants - starting at the age of 13, when he began staging at the legendary restaurant Chanterelle. He spent nearly a year working on organic farms in Europe, where he harvested almonds and Padron peppers in Spain, shepherded a flock of more than 200 sheep in Italy, and made charcuterie in France. When not working on, thinking about, cooking and eating food, he blows off steam (and calories) as an instructor of capoeira, the Afro-Brazilian martial art.

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