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Japanese curry

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Japanese curry is a staple dish in Japan. It is a thick, savory sauce often served over sticky, short-grain rice.

Japanese curry rice with shredded beef by Banej in SG
Japanese curry rice with shredded beef by Banej in SG

While it shares a name with Indian dishes, it has evolved into something uniquely Japanese. This dish is so widely consumed that it is considered a national dish. People enjoy it in many forms, such as curry rice, curry udon, or curry bread.

Curry house curry pan
Curry house curry pan

It is a meal that brings comfort to many different people across the country.

Creating the curry sauce involves a specific culinary process. First, cooks make a roux, which is a mixture of flour, oil, and curry powder fried together. This roux is then added to stewed meat and vegetables to create the thick sauce. Common vegetables include onions, carrots, and potatoes. Most people choose beef, pork, or chicken for the meat.

Katsu curry by luckypines
Katsu curry by luckypines

For curry udon, the process is slightly different. Cooks soak dried bonito flakes in boiling water to extract umami, which is a savory taste. They then add curry and potato starch to thicken the broth before pouring it over noodles.

Marugame Seimen Curry udon
Marugame Seimen Curry udon

There are several distinct types of curry dishes found in Japan. Katsu curry is a popular version featuring a breaded, deep-fried cutlet called tonkatsu. Curry bread is a pastry that is filled with the savory curry sauce.

Curry house curry pan
Curry house curry pan

Another variety is curry udon, which uses thick wheat noodles in a curry-flavored broth. In recent years, a style called spice curry has gained popularity.

This version uses a wide variety of spices and is often inspired by South Asian cuisine while still using Japanese elements like dashi.

The history of Japanese curry began during the Meiji era, which lasted from 1868 to 1912. The British likely introduced curry powder to Japan through their navies. At that time, the Indian subcontinent was under British colonial rule. By the 1870s, curry was being served in Japan. The oldest known cookbook mention of curry rice is from 1872.

First-Curry-Rice-Recipe-of-Japan-Seiyo-Ryoritsu-by-Kanagaki-Robun-1872
First-Curry-Rice-Recipe-of-Japan-Seiyo-Ryoritsu-by-Kanagaki-Robun-1872

An American professor named William S. Clark helped popularize the term in 1877. He also introduced potatoes to the dish to help address rice shortages.

Curry became affordable for the general public in 1905 with domestic curry powder production. In the 1940s and 1950s, new technologies made it easier to cook at home. Oriental Co Ltd created powdered instant curry roux in 1945. Bell Shokuhin Co Ltd developed block-shaped instant roux in 1950. These innovations helped the dish spread quickly through Japanese households. In 1963, House Foods released "Vermont Curry," which included apples and honey. This added a mild sweetness that made the dish a favorite for children.

The importance of curry is seen in its massive economic scale. In 2007, domestic shipments of instant curry roux reached 82.7 billion yen. By the year 2000, curry had become a more frequent meal in Japan than sushi or tempura. The dish also has a special place in the military. The Imperial Japanese Navy used curry to help prevent beriberi, a condition caused by a lack of thiamine. Because curry is an easy source of vitamin B1, it became a weekly staple on ships. Today, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force continues this tradition every Friday.

Curry is also connected to local culture and modern technology. Many regions in Japan have developed their own specialty curries to promote local tourism. For example, Yokosuka is famous for its Navy curry.

Kaga Curry
Kaga Curry

In 1968, the Otsuka Foods Company created "Bon Curry," the world's first commercial retort pouch food. A retort pouch is a vacuum-sealed package that can be heated in hot water. This technology allowed curry to be stored for long periods and eaten quickly. Today, curry remains a deeply integrated part of Japanese daily life and food innovation.

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🖼️ Images & Media (9)
File:First-Curry-Rice-Recipe-of-Japan-Seiyo-Ryoritsu-by-Kanagaki-Robun-1872.jpg
First-Curry-Rice-Recipe-of-Japan-Seiyo-Ryo...
File:Marugame Seimen Curry udon.jpg
Marugame Seimen Curry udon.jpg
File:Boncurry chori kara.JPG
Boncurry chori kara.JPG
File:Kaga Curry.jpg
Kaga Curry.jpg
File:CoCo Ichibanya Hot and spicy curry with chicken and tomato.jpg
CoCo Ichibanya Hot and spicy curry with...
File:Curry house curry pan.jpg
Curry house curry pan.jpg
File:Katsu curry by luckypines.jpg
Katsu curry by luckypines.jpg
File:Hayashi_rice_and_curry_rice_in_Tokyo_2023-12-30.jpg
Hayashi_rice_and_curry_rice_in_Tokyo_2023-...
File:Japanese curry rice with shredded beef by Banej in SG.jpg
Japanese curry rice with shredded beef by...
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