Home Style Japanese Curry By Chef Kazuya Matsuoka, Aburi Restaurants

Japanese curry is a traditional comfort food dish that is simple to make and loved by many across Japan! It’s extremely versatile and incorporates many ingredients already in your pantry!

Previously Aburi Restaurants Canada’s Corporate Executive Chef, Kazuya Matsuoka, is now the company’s Chief Operating Officer. Aburi Restaurants Canada currently has three Toronto properties including Miku Toronto, TORA and Aburi Hana, and is known for its signature Aburi, or flame-seared, style of cuisine.

Photo Credit: Cody Chan, Japanese Curry, Aburi Restaurants Canada
Photo Credit: Cody Chan, Aburi Restaurants Canada

Home Style Japanese Curry

Makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients

DASHI BROTH

-4 cups water
-45g katsuobushi dashi powder (Chef’s point: Katsuobushi dashi has a wonderful aroma and umami, creating a fantastic base for this curry)

CURRY

-1 box Japanese curry roux
-1/2lb ground pork
-1-2 carrot
-1-2 onion
-1/2 tbsp grated ginger
-3 cloves garlic
-1 apple
-2 tbsp vegetable oil
-1 tbsp curry powder
-½ tbsp cumin powder
-1 tbsp honey
-1 tbsp ketchup
-1 tbsp tonkatsu sauce
-1/2 tbsp soy sauce
-30g unsalted butter, melted
-Touch of cream
-Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions

TO MAKE DASHI BROTH

1. Heat water in a pot over medium heat until boiling

2. Add katsuobushi dashI powder

3. Stir well

4. Set dash broth aside

TO MAKE CURRY

1. Finely dice carrot and onion

2. In a pot, heat vegetable oil over medium heat

3. Add ginger and garlic

4. Add curry powder and cumin powder

5. Add onion and sauté until soft and translucent

6. Add ground pork

6. Cook until pork is well done

8. Add diced carrots

9. Add dashi broth

10. Cook until boiling, and skim any scrum from surface of broth

11. Grate peeled apple and add honey

12. Simmer for additional 15-20 minutes, stirring periodically

13. Add curry roux (Tip: break roux into blocks and slowly dissolve with chopsticks)

14. Add soy sauce, ketchup, and tonkatsu sauce (Chef’s point: soy sauce adds a sharpness to the curry’s flavour)

15. Finish with stirring in melted unsalted butter and cream

Optional: garnish rice with aonori to create a beautiful presentation