Instant Pot Japanese Beef Curry Recipe – FOOD is Four Letter Word (2024)

FAQs

What is Japanese curry called? ›

Japanese curry (カレー, karē) is commonly served in three main forms: curry over rice (カレーライス, karē raisu), curry udon (curry over thick noodles), and curry bread (カレーパン, karē pan) (a curry-filled pastry).

Toasted and freshly ground spices give this homemade Japanese curry a blast of flavor.

Recommended beef cuts for Japanese curry: Beef chuck or shoulder: These cuts are commonly used in Japanese curry due to their balance of tenderness and robust flavor. They break down beautifully during cooking, infusing the curry with their rich taste.

Japanese curry is meant to be mild. Even the commercially bought ones that are labeled hot are not very spicy. Two spices that can bump up the heat without changing the flavour are cayenne and black pepper. A little cayenne pepper goes a long way so be sure to add just a pinch at a time.

The most popular curry dish in Japan, katsu kare, consists of a deep-fried, breaded cutlet (katsu) served over rice with a thick, fragrant sauce. The cutlet is typically made with pork or chicken, and the sauce contains a variety of spices, including turmeric, cumin, and ginger.

Katsu curry (Japanese: カツカレー, romanized: katsukarē) 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 similarity of the words debal and devil, probably paired with spiciness of the dish, lead to it being adopted into the English language as "Devil curry". The term "deviled", in reference to food is often used with spicy or zesty food, including foods prepared with mustard as an ingredient.

It is actually a Thai spice/curry but panang curry takes it name from the city island off the West coast of peninsular Malaysia, Penang, or Pulau Pinang in Malay. This type of curry is richer, sweeter, and creamier than the more herbal Thai red curry or green curry , making it very popular with westerners.

GOLDEN CURRY SAUCE

Authentic Japanese Curry ready in minutes! Heat up the pre-made pouch for a quick, easy and delicious meal!

The sauce is thickened by a roux (a mixture of fat and flour and an addition of curry spices). You can find many variations of Japanese curries, ranging from regions to households, but the most basic one uses chicken, which is the recipe I'm sharing here.

What gives Japanese curry its flavor? ›

Japanese curry is relatively mild compared to its Asian counterparts because it is made of an harmonious blend of curry powder and spices in which no particular ingredient stands out. Slightly sweet ingredients such as sautéed onions, grated apples, carrots or honey are also usually added to add sweetness and umami.

The stand-out feature of a Japanese curry is its thick, rich sauce. The thickness of the sauce which can only be found in Japanese curry is supported and beloved by many.

Vegetables: The most standard vegetables added to Japanese curry are onions, potatoes, carrots and mushrooms. However, feel free to use other vegetables like peppers, kabocha, sugar snap peas, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans or okra. Butter: Adds richness to the curry.

The triad of vegetables most commonly found in Japanese curry are onion, potato, and carrots, but you can use almost any combination of vegetables and protein. Here, I've added celery, green beans, and corn to the mix, and use chicken thighs as my protein.

Japanese Curry Powder (カレー粉)

It's a pantry staple in Japan. S&B brand is the most common one found outside of Japan. Still, its availability is generally limited to Japanese supermarkets, so I've been working on my own blend for over a decade.

Korean curry has similar ingredients and methods of preparation as Japanese curry but is notably spicier (and tends to be a bit heavier on the garlic). Korean curries utilize a roux as their foundation like Japanese curries to get its thick consistency.

For one, Japanese curry uses curry powder with less spices whereas Indian curry uses a variety of bases such as cumin, paprika, turmeric, and many more. Indian curry is more vibrant and bursting with flavor, while Japanese curry is sumptuous and “umami” but in a more understated manner.

The dish was originally called Katsuretsu Curry which we now know as Katsu Curry. The word katsu, which simply means “fried cutlet” in Japanese, is a piece of breaded fried meat.