Appearing in Japan in the 1950s, keema is a delicious Indian dish of ground meat, minced vegetables, and spices. Now adapted to local tastes and ingredients, Japanese-style Keema Curry is a one-pan recipe made quick and easy using Japanese curry roux.

A bowl containing Keema Curry, steamed rice, and a fried egg.

Keema Curry (キーマカレー) is a traditional Indian curry dish made of ground meat, minced vegetables, and spices. In Japan, we have been enjoying this flavorful curry since the 1950s.

Today I’ll show you how to make quick and easy Japanese-style Keema Curry at home. 30 minutes is all you need! You can also swap out the meat for vegetarian/ vegan options.

What makes it Japanese-style? The spices are toned down, and other umami seasonings and curry roux are incorporated to suit the Japanese palate. Anyone who prefers milder heat, you’re going to love this curry!

Keema Curry In Japan

The first Keema Curry appeared in 1957 at a curry and coffee shop, Ajanta in Asagaya, Japan (currently located in Kojimachi). Since then Keema Curry has become a regular menu at Indian restaurants all over Japan.

Because of religious reasons, mutton is generally used in keema curry in India, but it was, and still is, difficult to obtain meat in Japan. Therefore, restaurants have been serving the curry with chicken or pork.

A bowl containing Keema Curry, steamed rice, and a fried egg.

How to Make Japanese-Style Keema Curry

Keema Curry is also a popular dish among Japanese home cooks. Not only it tastes delicious, but it’s also a lot easier to make as compared to regular Japanese curry. The use of ground meat makes Keema Curry a breezy affair when you’re in a hurry. Here are the 3 simple steps:

  1. Chop vegetables into small pieces, similar to ground meat.
  2. Stir fry vegetables and meat first, add broth/water and curry powder, and simmer till the ingredients are tender.
  3. Add Japanese curry roux and simmer for a few minutes.

In India, Keema is usually served with basmati rice, paratha or roti, chapati, and naan, but Japanese-style Keema Curry is served with (short-grain) steamed rice. I like to serve it with a fried egg or halved boiled egg on top, which adds a nice creamy texture to the curry.

Difference Between Keema Curry and Dry Curry

If you’re familiar with Japanese “Dry Curry”, or ドライカレー, you may wonder about the differences between Keema Curry and Dry Curry. Both dishes look extremely similar but here are how they differ:

Keema Curry

  • Originated in India
  • Use ground meat (mutton, especially in Indian restaurants)
  • Can be soupy (more broth)

Dry Curry

  • Originated in Japan (it’s a home-style dish)
  • Almost no soup or sauce
  • Curry Fried Rice or Curry Pilaf is also considered Dry Curry variety.

Other Delicious Rice Recipes

A bowl containing Keema Curry, steamed rice, and a fried egg.

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A bowl containing Keema Curry, steamed rice, and a fried egg.

Keema Curry

4.80 from 85 votes
Appearing in Japan in the 1950s, keema is a delicious Indian dish of ground meat, minced vegetables, and spices. Now adapted to local tastes and ingredients, Japanese-style Keema Curry is a one-pan recipe made quick and easy using Japanese curry roux.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 onion (7 oz, 200 g)
  • 1 rib celery (2 oz, 57 g)
  • ½ carrot (3.5 oz, 100 g)
  • 6 shiitake mushrooms (fresh; 1.7 oz, 48 g; to use dried shiitake, soak in 1 cup water for 15 minutes, squeeze out the liquid, and use the liquid in place of water in the recipe)
  • 1 Tbsp neutral oil
  • 1 lb ground pork (you can use ground beef or ground chicken; for vegan/vegetarian, use mushrooms, zucchini, eggplant, tofu, etc.)
  • ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

For the Seasonings

For Serving

  • 4 servings cooked Japanese short-grain rice
  • 4 fried eggs (I always like to add, but optional)
Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.

Instructions
 

To Cut the Vegetables

  • Chop 1 onion finely. Cut the onion in half. Lay one half on the cutting board, flat side down. With the knife edge toward the root end, make ¼-inch horizontal slices to within ½ inch of the root end, keeping it intact. With the knife tip pointing toward the root end, make ¼-inch vertical slices.
    Keema Curry 1
  • Finally, make perpendicular cuts down through the vertical slices you made. Repeat with the other onion half. If you need to chop the onions finer, run your knife through them using a rocking motion. Hold down the tip of the knife; otherwise, the onions will go flying around the room.
    Keema Curry 2
  • Cut 1 rib celery into 4-inch pieces. Cut them into thin sticks, then mince them.
    Keema Curry 3
  • Cut ½ carrot into 4-inch thin slabs. Cut the slabs into thin sticks, then mince them.
    Keema Curry 4
  • Remove and discard the stems of 6 shiitake mushrooms. Slice the caps, then mince them.
    Keema Curry 5

To Cook the Keema Curry

  • In a large skillet, heat 1 Tbsp neutral oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent.
    Keema Curry 6
  • Add 1 lb ground pork and cook until no longer pink.
    Keema Curry 7
  • Season with ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
    Keema Curry 8
  • Add the celery, carrots, and shiitake mushrooms. Mix well with the rest of the ingredients.
    Keema Curry 9
  • Add 1 cup chicken stock/broth and ½ cup water. If needed, add more water so the cooking liquid covers the ingredients.
    Keema Curry 10
  • Add 1 tsp Japanese curry powder and mix well. Cover and bring it to a boil. Skim off the scum and foam on the surface with a fine-mesh skimmer. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook, covered, until the vegetables are tender, about 6–8 minutes.
    Keema Curry 11
  • Add 1 Tbsp unsalted butter and 2 cubes Japanese curry roux, one cube at a time. Dissolve it completely in the cooking liquid before adding the next cube. The curry will thicken as it heats up. Add more water or broth to adjust the thickness to your liking (you can make it soupy, if you prefer.)
    Keema Curry 13
  • Add 1 Tbsp ketchup and 1 Tbsp tonkatsu sauce. Mix well and simmer for 3–5 minutes. If the sauce is too thick, add a small amount of water to loosen it.
    Keema Curry 14

To Serve

  • Portion the steamed rice on individual serving plates and serve the Keema Curry on top. Add one of the 4 fried eggs (optional) to each plate.
    Keema Curry 15

To Store

  • Keep in the airtight container for up to 2–3 days. This recipe freezes well, so make a large portion, divide it up, and freeze for up to a month.

To Reheat

  • Curry thickens as it cools, so it tends to burn while reheating. To avoid this, stir in ¼ cup (60 ml) water or more to loosen up the sauce. Then, gently reheat it on low heat. If it seems thin, continue heating with the lid off to reduce the sauce.

Notes

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 and link to this post as the original source. Thank you.

Nutrition

Calories: 515 kcal · Carbohydrates: 13 g · Protein: 27 g · Fat: 36 g · Saturated Fat: 17 g · Trans Fat: 1 g · Cholesterol: 254 mg · Sodium: 915 mg · Potassium: 634 mg · Fiber: 2 g · Sugar: 8 g · Vitamin A: 4599 IU · Vitamin C: 7 mg · Calcium: 74 mg · Iron: 2 mg
Author: Namiko Hirasawa Chen
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Japanese
Keyword: curry, curry roux
©JustOneCookbook.com Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any website or social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Did you make this recipe?If you made this recipe, snap a pic and hashtag it #justonecookbook! We love to see your creations on Instagram @justonecookbook!

Editor’s Note: The post was originally published on January 4, 2011. The new images are added and the post is updated and republished in August 2020.

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4.80 from 85 votes (54 ratings without comment)
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Hi Nami
May i replace curry power with turmeric as my kids don’t like spicy food. Thanks!

Hi Eli, Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe.
Yes, you may replace curry powder with turmeric or garam masala, etc., as you like.
We hope this helps!

Hey nami, thanks for sharing all your recipes, because of you I’ve been cooking ao much of my own food and less takeaways these days.

I did have one question about your recipe, what kind of curry powder do you use?5 stars

Hi Nick, We couldn’t be happier to hear how much joy and excitement Nami’s recipe has brought to you!
Nami used S&B Curry Powder for this recipe.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0096BRED0?ref=exp_justonecookbook_dp_vv_d
We hope this helps! Thank you for trying many recipes!

Thanks!

Thank you for this quick and easy recipe, Nami! I cooked this tonight and my family loved it. The only change I made was to use garam masala instead of curry powder as (even though I was using mild curry roux) my kids don’t take to spicy food well. I froze the leftovers, and my son will be taking them to work next week for one of his meals – that shows how much he liked the curry!5 stars

Hi Shl, We are so glad to hear your family enjoyed this curry very much. Thank you for trying this recipe and for your kind feedback.

Oh my goodness, when I made this for my family one day, my mum doesn’t like a lot of spice, so this was perfect! This recipe is so delicious! I can’t wait to make it again. I always look forward to seeing your recipes! ^_^5 stars

Hi Megumi! We are so happy to hear your family enjoyed this curry. Thank you very much for trying this recipe and for your kind feedback!

Your recipe is excellent, it might one of my favourite because it’s very simple to prepare, perfect for food prep and also very budget friendly. (and it smells and tastes delicious!)5 stars

Hi Amélie,
Aww. You have no idea how much your kind words meant to us!
Thank you very much for trying this recipe and for your kind feedback.☺️

Recipe turned out perfectly! So comforting for lunch 🙂5 stars

Hi Michelle!
Thank you very much for trying this recipe and for your kind feedback!
We are glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe!

Thank you Nami. This recipe was another winner. Simple yet so delicious. I’ll be making this again and again. Thank you so much again 🙂5 stars

Hi Sandy,
Thank you so much for trying this recipe and for your kind feedback. We’re so glad to hear you enjoyed the Keema Curry!

I made this today and OMG!!! Divine!!! Thank you so much for another incredible recipe!5 stars

Delicious! Quick, easy and filling! I will definitely be adding this to the weekly menu. Can’t wait to try more recipes!5 stars

The Keema Curry was delicious. I made it with ground turkey instead of pork — less fat and calories.5 stars

Oh I haven’t made this recipe in a while, before it was a once a month meal that we really enjoyed, but just fell out of rotation for no reason. Today, I decided to make it again and basically I remember it, but around halfway I opened up the website just in case I forgot some seasonings. I was so shocked… like omg pregnancy brain is real, I did everything wrong and in the wrong order haha. And then I noticed no parmesan and I was stumped. That’s when I realized the recipe was changed. I still added the parmesan in the end as I think it just gives it an amazing flavor and sets it apart from the keema curries that we can buy at restaurants and convenience stores here. This is a great recipe, one of our favorite go to meals, the changes are subtle and I do understand some of them.5 stars

Love this recipe! Very easy to make. It’s a great way to use up leftover veggies. Hubby approved, so this is a keeper. 🙂 Served the daikon and cucumber salad as a side.5 stars

This comes just in time for the start of fall next week (by the meteorological calendar, and you can bet my fall decorations are coming out Sep 1) and my craving for more heavily spiced foods, and some leftover ground kurobuta I have in the freezer that needed a good use! I am so excited to try it. I have been super busy lately and need some quick prep meals. Curry is always great since you can make a few meals ahead. 🙂 Thanks for the recipe!

Made this tonight. It was amazing,… So good I could’ve easily eaten the whole pan by myself. I will definitely make it again.5 stars

I love your website. Thank you for the recipe. I can’t wait to try this with ground chicken. Can you clarify the amount of homemade curry roux to use? Would I use all the roux made from the homemade curry roux recipe?

Hi Nami. I made Keema curry with ground turkey for dinner and it was SO delicious. Hubby and I over ate because we just couldn’t stop eating. Since we like lots of sauce, I added more chicken broth and ended up using all the roux made from the homemade roux recipe. Thank you again for the recipe.