Why This Recipe Works?
The umami and depth of good Japanese restaurant curry come from caramelizing onions and other aromatics. I build layers of flavors in this recipe, first by browning the chicken, then caramelizing garlic and ginger before going in with onions and carrots. The characteristic sweetness of Japanese chicken curry is created by adding fruit and sugar in most recipes. In my version, I like to use moderately ripe bananas, which provide a nice sweetness and help thicken the curry sauce. Japanese curry is usually thickened with flour and fat roux, but the luxurious texture of this homemade curry rice is developed with a mixture of vegetables and fruit, making it healthier than most. Kakushiaji (隠し味) means “hidden taste,” and it’s a cooking technique that involves adding a tiny quantity of a contrasting ingredient to make subtle improvements to the dish’s taste. For this Japanese Curry recipe, my kakushiaji is cocoa powder. It may sound odd, but it’s one of the secrets to get a rich earthy depth depth of flavor, making it taste like it’s been simmering for hours.
Roux Cubes vs. From Scratch
These days, many Japanese households use blocks of instant curry roux that look like a giant chocolate bar. They contain all of the flavorings and seasonings needed to make curry so the idea is that you can add them to a pot along with meat, vegetables and water. The most popular brand names include S&B Golden Curry, House Vermont Curry, and Glico Zeppin, and they come in sweet, medium, and spicy varieties. While convenient, these Japanese curry roux blocks are loaded with questionable ingredients. This recipe does not require making a roux which makes it super easy to make from scratch and tastes much better than instant curry.
Ingredients
Vegetable Oil - A neutral oil that doesn’t overpower the other flavors. If you’re looking for an alternative, canola or sunflower oil work well. Boneless Skin-on Chicken Thighs - These offer the perfect balance of meaty richness and juiciness for this Japanese chicken curry recipe. You can check out my post to learn how to debone chicken thighs. You can also use chicken breasts, which tend to be less flavorful and juicy. Ginger & Garlic - These two are the backbone of most curry dishes; they provide the base layer of aroma that the spices will build upon to give the curry its quintessential flavor. Baking Soda - Baking soda breaks down pectin in the onions, which softens them more quickly. The increase in pH also speeds up the process of caramelization. Onions - One of the defining characteristics of Japanese chicken curry is the flavor of caramelized onion. These provide umami and sweetness; in this recipe, they add body to the curry sauce. The key here is caramelization and Maillard browning, which develops a deep, complex flavor, and it’s the trick good Japanese restaurants use to make their curry. Japanese Curry Powder - Japanese curry powder is a unique blend of spices that includes the usual suspects like turmeric, cumin, and black pepper, but also includes East Asian spices such as mandarin and star anise, as well as Western herbs such as dill and sage. I like using S&B brand which comes in a red (or red and yellow) can. Vegetable Stock - Curry requires a liquid to form the sauce, and while you could use water, vegetable or chicken stock will provide more flavor. If you are using a protein other than chicken, you could match the broth with the meat you are using (i.e., beef broth for beef). Banana - It may sound odd, but fruit is a common addition to Japanese-style curry to add the trademark sweetness. Apples are the most common, but I don’t like the acidity it adds. Glico, a brand of instant curry blocks, uses bananas in theirs. After trying it out, it’s my favorite fruit for this because it contributes sweetness while thickening the curry. You want to use a fully ripe banana (yellow), but do not use an overripe banana (brown spots); otherwise, your curry will have a banana flavor. Carrots - I like to add carrots in two forms to my curry. First, I add grated carrots, which get caramelized with the onions. This adds a natural sweetness to the curry, and as it breaks down, it helps thicken it. I also add chunks of carrots, which add substance and a pop of color to the finished dish. Potatoes - Although curry originates in India, it was brought to Japan by the British, so the ingredients resemble a European stew. Potatoes add substance to Japanese curry while soaking up its flavors. I like to use waxy potatoes (Red Bliss, Fingerling, etc.) in my curry as they don’t dissolve as easily as starchy ones (Russet). Bay Leaf & Star Anise - Although Japanese curry powder contains both spices, I like adding a little extra to my curry. You can skip these if you don’t have any on hand. Soy Sauce - Soy sauce seasons the curry while contributing boatloads of umami. It also gives it a dark brown color, which is a hallmark of Japanese Navy Curry. Chunou Sauce - Chunou sauce is a fruit-based sauce similar to tonkatsu sauce and okonomiyaki sauce. If you can’t find it, a 50:50 mix of Worcestershire sauce and ketchup makes a reasonable alternative. Tomato Paste - Tomato paste is essentially a concentrated tomato flavoring. It adds fruity sweetness and umami to the curry. Ketchup will work in a pinch. Cocoa Powder - This is my kakushiaji, or “hidden taste.” It brings a nutty and earthy depth to the homemade Japanese curry without making it taste overtly of chocolate. Some people add instant coffee granules to their curry for a similar effect, but I don’t want my curry caffeinated, and cocoa powder provides a more subtle flavor.
How to Make Japanese Curry from Scratch
Start by mixing the salt and baking soda into the water until they’re evenly dissolved. Heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add in the boneless, skin-on chicken thighs that have been cut into large bite-sized pieces. I like using chicken thighs because they have more flavor and tend to hold up better in stews due to their fat and collagen content. Brown the chicken on one side before flipping the pieces over to brown the other side. The high temperature of the oil creates Maillard browning, which is how we build the layers of flavors in traditional Japanese chicken curry. When the chicken is nicely browned, remove it from the pot and set it aside. Then, add the grated ginger and garlic to the pot and sauté them until they’re fragrant and starting to brown. This builds the second layer of flavor. Now add in the onions and stir in the baking soda solution. Cover the pot with a lid and turn down the heat to steam the onions for about 10 minutes. When the timer is up, remove the lid and turn up the heat to boil off the excess liquid. Add the grated carrots and saute the mixture until golden brown and caramelized. Take your time here, as this is where the curry will get the bulk of its flavor. When the onion mixture has carmelized into a thick paste, add the curry powder and quickly stir it into the onions so that it doesn’t burn to the pan. The idea is to get the spices bloom, releasing their fragrant oils. When the curry powder is fragrant, add the vegetable stock and banana and use a stick blender to puree the mixture. You could also do this in a regular blender, but be careful when blending hot liquids, as the sudden release of steam can cause the lid to blow off. Next, return the chicken to the pot along with the potatoes, carrots, soy sauce, chunou sauce, tomato paste, bay leaf, star anise, and cocoa powder. Bring your curry to a gentle simmer and let it cook until the vegetables are tender and the curry roux has thickened up. This should take about an hour. Be sure to stir your curry regularly to prevent it from burning to the bottom of the pot. Once the vegetables are tender and your Japanese chicken curry is nice and thick, taste and adjust the seasonings as needed with salt and cayenne pepper (if you want some more heat).
How to Serve It
Over the past century, Japanese-style curry has become one of the most popular meals in Japan, and as a result, people have come up with creative ways to serve it. The classic way is to serve it alongside a generous mound of short-grain rice to make Japanese curry rice. Variations of this include serving it topped with shredded cheese or topping it with a hot spring egg. The curry can also be served as a sauce over a chicken katsu or tonkatsu (pork cutlet) to make Katsu Curry.
Variations of Japanese Curry
Japanese curry is a whole sub-genre of Japanese cuisine so in addition to the various serving possibilities listed above there are many variations of the dish here. Keema curry is a popular dry curry made from ground meat that comes together in minutes. Then there are regional variations like Soup Curry, which originated in Sapporo on the northern island of Hokkaido. If you find yourself craving Japanese Curry, but you’re pressed for time, check out my Quick Japanese Curry, which comes together in about the time it takes to cook a batch of rice. If you’re more of a noodle person, Curry Udon is a hearty noodle soup that’s perfect for a cold winter day. For a more portable option, Currypan or curry stuffed bread is a popular snack item in Japan.
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