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.
- Yield:Serves 6
- Active time: 1 1/2 hours
- Total time:2 hours
- Rated:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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.
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.
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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.
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7.
Serve curry with cooked rice and pickled ginger and/or rakkyo.
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