7 things you need to do when you come visit Japan
If you are considering or already decided upon visiting Japan, here is a list of what you should not miss out on when you come and visit.
Japanese Pork Curry (カレーライス)
Japanese Curry or “Curry Rice” (カレーライス) is one of the Japanese people’s favorite dishes. This is partly because of the ease of preparing the dish as well as the fact that it tastes so good! Like many other types of Curry, it is similar to a stew in which everything is cooked in a pot which is then poured onto rice. While it may not be as famous as Sushi or Ramen, this is a very Japanese dish and being able to cook this dish will no doubt impress even the local Japanese people.
Table of Contents
A little bit about the the Japanese Curry or 'Curry Rice'
It is said that the Japanese Curry dates back to the 19th century, when the British brought in curry powder into Japan.
Like many other dishes, the military in the Japanese Empire contributed to bringing western influenced dishes into Japan. This Curry was adopted by the Imperial Japanese Navy to fight beriberi among its crew and since then, this dish has taken Japan by a storm. (To this day, the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force apparently serves Curry every Friday.)
The roux of the curry is made out of stewed meat and vegetables, which is cooked until thickened which is then topped off with curry powder. While you can make everything from scratch, it is more difficult to gather all the ingredients needed to make the roux and therefore, almost all Japanese households opt to use the instant curry roux, which is available in block and powder form. By using this instant roux, it is only necessary to cook the meet and vegetables and meat, after which water and the instant roux is added. As it will taste as good as when you are making the curry from scratch and will save you much money, time and effort, we recommend that you use the instant curry roux that are available at Asian supermarkets.
List of Ingredients you will need
(Serving for 4 people)
・Butter … 2 Tsp
・Bulldog Sauce…1Tbsp
・Onions …2 pieces
・Carrots …1 piece
・Garlic …1-2 cloves
・Pork…9 ounce
・Carrots…1 piece
・Apples…1/2 piece
・Curry Roux…for four servings
・Rice…for four servings
Recipe
1. Peel the carrots and the potatoes
2. Cut the carrots and potatoes into roughly 1 inch long (2 – 3 cm).
Soak the potatoes in water to make them softer.
3. Slice the onions but not too thin as you want to keep the nice
texture.
4. Pour oil onto a hot pan and cook the garlic and the onions over
low heat for 30 minutes. You want to carmelize your onions so
you get that really nice flavour.
5. Cut the pork into bite-size pieces and season it with a little bit of
salt and pepper.
6. Cook the pork over medium heat until cooked.
7. Put the onions and the pork into a pot and also pour 3-4 cups of
water into the pot.
8. Remove the foam that rises to the top and cook it over low heat
for 15 minutes.
9. Add the carrots and the potatoes into the pot and cook it for
15-30 minutes. Make sure to stir the pot so as not stick to the
bottom of the pan.
10. Put the roux, grated apples and the Bulldog sauce into the pot.
Adding the apples makes the curry a little bit sweeter.
11. After the roux has melted, cook it again over low heat for 10-15
minutes. Then add the butter and cook for another 10 minutes.
12. The curry is ready so pour it onto some Japanese Sticky
rice.
Tips: The curry will taste even better the next day. It also tastes good
if you dip a piece of toast into the curry.
1. Peel the carrots and the potatoes
2. Cut the carrots and potatoes into roughly 1 inch
long (2 – 3 cm). Soak the potatoes in water to make
them softer.
3. Slice the onions but not too thin as you want to
keep the nice texture.
4. Pour oil onto a hot pan and cook the garlic and the
onions over low heat for 30 minutes. You want to
carmelize your onions so you get that really nice
flavour.
5. Cut the pork into bite-size pieces and season it with
a little bit of salt and pepper.
6. Cook the pork over medium heat until cooked.
7. Put the onions and the pork into a pot and also pour
3-4 cups of water into the pot.
8. Remove the foam that rises to the top and cook it
over low heat for 15 minutes.
9. Add the carrots and the potatoes into the pot and
cook it for 15-30 minutes. Make sure to stir the pot
so as not the stick to the bottom of the pan.
10. Put the roux, grated apples and the Bulldog sauce
into the pot. Adding the apples makes the curry a
little bit sweeter.
11. After the roux has melted, cook it again over low
heat for 10-15 minutes. Then add the butter and
cook for another 10 minutes.
12. The curry is ready so pour it onto some Japanese
Sticky rice.
Tips: The curry will taste even better the next day. It also tastes good
if you dip a piece of toast into the curry.
1. Peel the carrots and the
potatoes
2. Cut the carrots and
potatoes into roughly 1
inch long (2 – 3 cm). Soak
the potatoes in water to
make them softer.
3. Slice the onions but not
too thin as you want to
keep the nice texture.
4. Pour oil onto a hot pan and
cook the garlic and the
onions over low heat for
30 minutes. You want to
carmelize your onions
so you get that really nice
flavour.
5. Cut the pork into bite-size
pieces and season it with
a little bit of salt and pepper.
6. Cook the pork over
medium heat until cooked.
7. Put the onions and the
pork into a pot and also
pour 3-4 cups of water into
the pot.
8. Remove the foam that
rises to the top and cook it
over low heat for 15
minutes.
9. Add the carrots and the
potatoes into the pot and
cook it for 15-30 minutes.
Make sure to stir the pot
so as not the stick to
the bottom of the pan.
10. Put the roux, grated apples
and the Bulldog sauce
into the pot. Adding the
apples makes the curry a
little bit sweeter.
11. After the roux has melted,
cook it again over low
heat for 10-15 minutes.
Then add the butter and
cook for another 10
minutes.
12. The curry is ready so pour
it onto some Japanese
sticky rice.
Tips: The curry will taste even better the next day. It also tastes good if you dip a piece of toast into the curry.
Other recommended recipes
If this is the kind of dish you like, we have compiled some a list of dishes that you might also like for your next cooking session below.
Shougayaki (生姜焼き)
Shougayaki literally means ginger sear/fry. Shougayaki is cooked with this slices of pork and simmered in a sauce made of soy sauce, mirin, onion, garlic and grated ginger cooked fried in the pan.
Chicken Nanban
(チキン南蛮)
Chicken Nanban (チキン南蛮) is considered one of the most popular dishes back in Japan. Originating from the Miyazaki prefecture which is very well-known for it quality of chicken, it is a dish consisting of fried chicken which is covered with sweet and sour sauce, which is topped off with Tartar sauce.
Takikomi Gohan
(炊き込みごはん)
Takikomi Gohan (炊き込みごはん) is a Japanese dish, which is prepared with soy sauce, dashi, and either meat, fish, veggies, or mushrooms. This dish is typically eaten in the fall because fall is the time when much of the root vegetables and mushrooms are harvested.
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