With big chunks of veggies drenched in a rich curry sauce, this meal will satisfy your appetite while delighting your taste buds. All you need is some pantry staples and one special ingredient that you can find in most supermarkets: curry roux! One of the best ways to go meatless is to make a tasty curry. Some favorites include Vegetable Korma and Palak Paneer. But Japanese curries are very different from my Indian ones. For one thing, they’re much easier! There’s also a big difference in flavor. That’s because rather than a masala, they use curry roux…
What is Curry Roux?
Curry roux is a flavoring made from curry powder, flour and oil, and sometimes other ingredients. It can be made from scratch, but is now readily available in packaged pre-made blocks. You can usually find it in the Asian section of supermarkets (though sometimes it is in the British section, as they are big curry eaters). If not, check local Asian grocery stores, or online. The most popular brands are:
Is Curry Roux Vegan?
S&B Golden curry is vegan. However, Vermont and Java curry contain milk products. Neither are gluten free.
Japanese Vegetable Curry Ingredients
Oil Veggies – Today we’re using onions, carrots and potatoes, the most traditional. Later I’ll give you some more ideas. Curry roux – S&B Golden Curry Hot mix is our favorite. Aromatics – Garlic & ginger. Sauces – Soy sauce, ketchup, worcestershire sauce (omit for vegan or vegetarian), apricot jam or preserves.
Japanese Vegetable Curry Recipe
Heat oil in a soup pot or dutch oven over medium high heat. Add onion and sauté till it is a nice golden brown. Add in chopped garlic and ginger, and sauté for a couple of minutes. Stir in potato and carrot chunks. Give it all a good mix. Add in 3.5 cups of water. Bring to a simmer and cook till the carrots and potatoes are soft to your liking. Stir in the curry roux, ketchup, worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and apricot preserve. Once the curry cubes have dissolved, cook 10 more minutes.
How to Serve Japanese Vegetable Curry
The most common ways to serve Japanese curry are:
Variations
Once you have the base curry sauce down, there are a number of different ways you can vary it.
Add other veggies. Mushrooms, green beans and zucchini are some of our favorite additions. Make it a meat curry. Any type of meat will go in this curry. Check out our Japanese Beef Curry recipe. Tinker with the flavor. Try apple sauce instead of apricot, or omit the fruit factor entirely.
Storage and Leftovers
Japanese vegetable curry is great refrigerated for the next couple of days, stored in an air tight container. It tastes even better, as all the flavors have time to mingle with each other. It also freezes well for a couple of months. Simply thaw overnight in the refrigerator and heat it on stovetop. Try this great Japanese comfort food in your kitchen. It’s super unique, and one of the easiest curries you’ll ever cook. And stay tuned. Our next post will be Katsu Curry, which is a great way to use this Japanese Vegetable Curry. GypsyPlate is all about helping you experience the different cuisines of the world. Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter, and join us on this culinary adventure. See you soon…
Japanese Vegetable Curry, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!
Try these other great curry recipes!Jamaican Curry ChickenChicken KormaThai Green CurryCountry CaptainChicken MasalaPork VindalooCaribbean Mussel Curry
