Learn how to make Japanese Curry Roux from scratch. Only 5 ingredients! This easy recipe will have you cook up many delicious pots of Japanese curry.
Japanese curry (also known as Curry Rice/Kare Raisu/カレーライス) is the ultimate comfort dish. It is the staple meal for many Japanese households because it’s so easy to make at home. The convenience comes from the readily made Japanese Curry Sauce Mix or curry roux (カレールー), which allows you to cook up the stew-like curry consists of meat & vegetables in the shortest time.
Watch How to Make Japanese Curry Roux
Learn how to make Japanese Curry Roux from scratch. Only 5 ingredients! This easy recipe will have you cook up many delicious pots of Japanese curry.
What is Japanese Curry Roux?
Curry roux refers to a mixture of sauce, made with fat, flour and curry spices as the base flavor.
These days we can even find many varieties of instant Japanese curry roux in the Asian aisle at the American supermarkets.
The boxed curry roux often comes in a distinctive block that resembles a thick chocolate bar, where you break off individual cubes for the portion you need to make. Some of the common brands include S&B’s Golden Curry, House’s Vermont Curry, Java Curry, and Torokeru Curry.
Homemade Japanese Curry Roux
Although the boxed stuff may spare you some time at the kitchen, you’ll be surprised how easy it is to make your own Japanese Curry Roux at home. And just like all curries, curry roux is best made from scratch. The other good reasons for homemade roux?
- No MSG, artificial flavors and other food additives that are commonly found in boxed mixes.
- You can customize the flavor, spice level and thickness to your preferred taste each time you make it.
My recipe for Japanese curry roux requires only five ingredients that you will have in the pantry. They are: unsalted butter, all-purpose flour, curry powder, garam masala and cayenne pepper.
The butter gives a rich sweet flavor, while the flour helps to thicken the mixes when you combine the curry powder, garam masala, and cayenne together. Feel free to adjust the amount of the spices until the flavor is to your liking. The roux can be made ahead and store in the refrigerator or in the freezer for 3-4months.
With the homemade curry roux, you will be eager to start cooking a myriad of Japanese curry dishes any time. Here are some delicious recipes you can make with homemade curry roux:
- Instant Pot Japanese Curry
- Soup Curry
- Japanese Chicken Curry
- Japanese Beef Curry
- Japanese Seafood Curry
- Katsu Curry
- Curry Udon
- Cold Curry Udon
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Learn how to make Japanese Curry Roux from scratch. Only 5 ingredients! This easy recipe will have you cook up many delicious pots of Japanese curry.
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter (42 g)
- 4 Tbsp all purpose flour (30 g) (You can use GF flour as well)
- 1 Tbsp curry powder (6 g)
- 1 Tbsp garam masala (6 g)
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (1-2 g) (optional for spicy)
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Gather all the ingredients.
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In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat.
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When the butter is completely melted, add the flour. Stir to combine the butter and flour.
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Soon the butter and flour fuse and swell. Keep stirring because the roux will easily burn. Cook for 15-20 minutes on low heat.
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After 20 minutes, the roux will turn to light brown color.
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Add the garam masala, curry powder, and cayenne pepper.
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Cook and stir for 30 seconds and remove from the heat. Use the curry roux in your curry recipe. Make sure to taste and season with salt after you add the roux to the dish (as the roux is not salted).
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If you don't use it immediately, let it cool in an airtight container with lid and store in the refrigerator for a month or freezer for 3-4 months.
Curry Roux: This recipe yields 1/3 cup roux; enough for your curry recipe that requires 4 cups liquid. If you're not sure, make double portion as everyone prefers different consistency for curry and you may like it thicker (requires more curry roux).
Recipe by Namiko Chen of Just One Cookbook. All images and content on this site are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without my permission. If you’d like to share this recipe on your site, please re-write the recipe in your own words and link to this post as the original source. Thank you.
Editor’s Note: The post was originally published on March 18, 2013. The video and new images were added in August 2018.
