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Japanese Chicken Curry チキンカレー

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Delicious Japanese chicken curry recipe for a weeknight dinner! Tender pieces of chicken, carrots and potatoes cooked in a rich savory curry sauce, this Japanese version of curry is a must-keep for your family meal. 

Japanese Chicken Curry | Easy Japanese Recipes at JustOneCookbook.com

When you are too busy to cook, what is your go-to meal that you plan ahead of time?  For my mom, it was Japanese Curry aka Curry Rice (Kare Raisu/カレーライス) because she could cook it the day before, and it would taste just as good or even better the second day.

Simple Chicken Curry Recipe | JustOneCookbook.com

The Popular Japanese Chicken Curry

I know some of you are probably surprised to hear there is a Japanese version of curry, but yes we do!  And Japanese chicken curry is quite popular for all generations in Japan and it’s widely available in many restaurants.  The Japanese curry is a popular dish outside of Japan as well, especially in Asian countries.

The curry was introduced to Japan in late 1800 by the British and originally it was Western-style stews mixed with curry powder.  The Japanese adapted curry to their own version, Curry Rice (Kare Raisu, カレーライス) soon after.  By 1950s the curry roux in block form was sold by S&B Foods and everyone could make it easily at home.

What is the difference between Japanese curry and Thai or Indian curry?

The consistency of Japanese curry sauce is much thicker and the taste is on the sweeter side. The sweetness comes from caramelized onions, grated apples and carrots.  It is also less spicy which is suitable for children. We always serve the curry with rice.

Japanese Curry Recipe | JustOneCookbook.com

The reason why we can make the Japanese curry in a short time is that we use the convenient Japanese Curry Sauce Mix (curry roux カレールー). I’m not a big fan of “instant” or boxed food, but I have to say Japanese Curry Roux is an exception!

Japanese Curry Roux

Each brand of the curry roux usually comes with 3 levels of spiciness – Mild, Medium, or Hot.  Since these are packaged for Japanese taste, the hot level is not nearly as spicy as Thai or Indian curry.

Homemade Roux for Japanese Chicken Curry

If you are going to use a box of curry roux, I highly recommend you to mix up 2-3 different brands of roux and add ketchup, soy sauce, and/or tonkatsu sauce (or Worcestershire sauce) to enhance the flavor and give some complexity to the sauce. However, if you decide to make the Curry Roux from scratch, it only takes a quick 30 minutes.  Click here for the recipe.

How To Make Curry Roux

When I make this Japanese chicken curry, I often cook up a big batch for leftovers. Because it doesn’t use coconut milk or other dairy, this simple chicken curry can be kept in the refrigerator for a few days or in the freezer for a month. Hope you enjoy this delicious Japanese Chicken Curry recipe!

Japanese Chicken Curry | JustOneCookbook.com

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Japanese Chicken Curry
Japanese Chicken Curry | JustOneCookbook.com
Print
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
1 hrs
Total Time
1 hrs 15 mins
 
Course: Main Course
Servings: 6
Ingredients
  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs (or beef, pork, seafood, tofu, or vegetables)
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 carrots
  • 2 onions
  • 1-2 potatoes
  • ½ Tbsp ginger
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1½ Tbsp neutral flavor oil (vegetable, canola, etc)
  • 1 QT water (1 QT = 4 cups or 1000 ml) (or chicken stock)
  • 1 apple (I used Fuji apple)
  • 1 Tbsp honey
  • 2 tsp Kosher salt
  • 1 box Japanese curry roux (1 box = 7 oz or 200 g) (See Notes for homemade recipe)
  • 1½ Tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 Tbsp ketchup
Toppings:
Instructions

  1. Gather all the ingredients.

    Simple Chicken Curry Ingredients
  2. Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towel. Discard the extra fat and cut it into bite size pieces. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
    Simple Chicken Curry 1
  3. Peel and cut the carrot in rolling wedges (Rangiri) and cut the onions in wedges.
    Simple Chicken Curry 2
  4. Cut the potatoes into 1.5 inch pieces and soak in water for 15 minutes to remove excess starch.
    Simple Chicken Curry 3
  5. Grate the ginger and crush the garlic.
    Simple Chicken Curry 4
  6. Heat 1 1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat and sauté the onions until they become translucent.
    Simple Chicken Curry 5
  7. Add the ginger and garlic.
    Simple Chicken Curry 6
  8. Add the chicken and cook until the chicken changes color.
    Simple Chicken Curry 7
  9. Add the carrot and mix.
    Simple Chicken Curry 8
  10. Add the chicken broth (or water).
    Simple Chicken Curry 9
  11. Bring the stock to boil and skim the scrum and fat from the surface of the stock.
    Simple Chicken Curry 10
  12. Peel the apple and coarsely grate the apples.
    Simple Chicken Curry 11
  13. Add the honey and salt and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
    Simple Chicken Curry 12
  14. Add the potatoes and cook for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender, and turn off the heat. Meanwhile you can make homemade curry roux.
    Simple Chicken Curry 13
  15. When the potatoes are ready, add the curry. If you use the store-bought curry roux, put 1-2 blocks of roux in a ladle and slowly let it dissolve with spoon or chopsticks. Continue with the rest of blocks. Then go to Step #17.
  16. If you are using homemade curry roux, add a ladleful or two of cooking liquid from the stock and mix into the curry paste. Add more cooking liquid if necessary and mix well until it’s smooth.
    Simple Chicken Curry 14
  17. Add the roux paste back into the stock in the large pot and stir to combine.
    Simple Chicken Curry 15
  18. Add soy sauce and ketchup. Simmer uncovered on low heat, stirring occasionally, until the curry becomes thick.
    Simple Chicken Curry 16
  19. Serve the curry with Japanese rice on the side and garnish with soft boiled egg and Fukujinzuke. You can store the curry in the refrigerator up to 2-3 days and in the freezer for 1 month. Potatoes will change the texture so you can take them out before freezing.
Recipe Notes

Japanese curry roux: Homemade recipe, click here.

 

 

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.

Editor’s Note: The post was originally published on Mar 19, 2013.  The content has been updated in June 2017.

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  2. Japanese curry is my favorite….and I even love that store bought SH brand. So yummy. But I would love to try to make my own homemade curry roux one day. I am drooling now eventhough it is already bedtime now.

    2
    Reply to Mel'> Reply

  3. Aleks

    wooow thats so interesting, I use curry roux a lot when making curry but i don’t add so many extra things to it, like honey or ginger. Thank you so much for sharing! I will defenately try it out 😀

    3
    Reply to Aleks'> Reply

    • Hi Aleks, you can definitely play around – honey, ginger, garlic, all the different kinds of condiments I mentioned in the post, apples, yogurt, etc. Hope you enjoy creating your own version. 🙂

      64
      Reply to Nami'> Reply

  4. I never get tired of Japanese curry either. I especially like having it for lunch on workdays. I’ll be honest and say that I have a box of the curry blocks but I’ve never gotten around to using it. 🙁 Best to replace it with a newer one. I forgot that I had it in my pantry.

    I see that big pot of curry that you cooked–I would have happily eaten that everyday ’til it was gone. 🙂

    4
    Reply to Jean'> Reply

  6. Hi Nami – I am so excited to see you write about this! Japanese curry is so delicious. I just bought a box of the S&B curry to try so I’ll definitely follow your guidelines when I do! I’d never realized it was a sauce mix where you add liquid, etc. I had always bought the super-convenient type that comes in a pouch you can simply heat by boiling and then pouring over your rice! I have to say I love those! : ) I’m looking forward to trying this.your version and maybe eventually moving over to homemade…

    6
    Reply to Monica'> Reply

    • Hi Patty! Those are helpful and much healthier than some of the fast food we can get. However, the taste is always the same. By making your own curry, you can adjust to get the best curry you enjoy. 🙂

      65
      Reply to Nami'> Reply

  16. Well, I don’t think I’ve ever had Japanese curry before, but if it’s anything like Chinese curry (um, probably not, especially since I’ve only experienced it in American restaurants) I bet it’s delicious! Actually, I bet it’s delicious either way. 🙂 The addition of apple is really interesting!

    16
    Reply to Eileen'> Reply

  17. Thicker and sweeter sounds good to me! Thank you for sharing both this and that delicious poundcake. I’m going to make it for my baby shower. As always, a bright and delicious spot in my day. I hope you have a wonderful and warm Spring week!

    17
    Reply to Monet'> Reply

  19. Any kind of curry is a great curry for me. I have had this in a restaurant but never made it. A shortcut boxed sauce can be a time saver. But will have to make my own sauce some time soon too. Lovely dish.

    19
    Reply to [email protected]'> Reply

  20. Janice T.

    Hello Nami! Thanks as always for the wonderful recipes! I have made this before but with instant curry mix (S&B Golden Curry), and I’ve had problems with getting the flavor of the curry to penetrate the chicken properly. It might be the quality of the chicken, but I really don’t know what I’m doing wrong. Would you recommend marinating the chicken? If so, what should I put in the marinade? Thank you!!

    20
    Reply to Janice T.'> Reply

    • Hi Janice! Thank you for your kind words. I’m glad to hear you enjoy my recipes. I don’t think you are doing anything wrong, but you can probably improve by cutting into smaller pieces (you might want to try sogigiri cutting method – more open surface), pricking the chicken with fork (make holes so seasonings go in), seasoning the chicken first (salt is necessary), and cooking a little longer (day 2 might be better). I don’t think marinade is necessary. Hope all or some of these will help!

      66
      Reply to Nami'> Reply

  23. Love love japanese curry…just had a pot last week 😀
    SH mild is the one I would pick up from grocery store 🙂
    am so making this again …and this time it will be your homemade recipe 😀
    Thank you Nami
    Your photo is making my tummy growl n wanting dinner for breakfast ;P

    23
    Reply to Lisa H.'> Reply

  24. Nami!! I’m doing a happy dance because you’ve shared this recipe. We love love love — really love Japanese curry. I make it from the box because I could never find a recipe from scratch — until now:) My husband loves the package apple honey one. I can’t wait to make your curry from scratch. Thanks so much for sharing!xxx

    24
    Reply to Nancy/SpicieFoodie'> Reply

  26. I love Japanese Curry’s, they have such a unique flavour. I usually get the green packet mix! My Japanese student showed me how to make them… I noticed that you use a apple in the curry too, at first I thought this was strange but it is perfect for the sweet flavour of the curry. Great winter dish, thank you for reminding me to make this 🙂

    26
    Reply to GourmetGetaways'> Reply

  28. I love curry but unfortunately my husband and daughter don’t but my son does. So I typically order it out rather than making it at home. This sounds very tasty and I’m sure I’d love it.

    As for being a bread snob, I’m with you on that. I try to avoid carbs, so if I’m going to indulge it better be worth it. The loaf I made was outstanding. The crust was very hard and crispy but that’s how it’s suppose to be. It didn’t last long in our no carb home.

    Thanks for stopping by. We’ve both been so busy we’ve barely had time to visit each other. Hope your family is well.

    28
    Reply to Vicki Bensinger'> Reply

  33. My go to meal is spaghetti bolognese which is very easy and fast especially for me who run like crazy during the weekdays! I didn’t know you have a curry dish in Japan! I love the fact that it is sweeter than the usual one! Beautiful comforting dish!

    33
    Reply to Katerina'> Reply

  37. Love love love japanese curry! hehe And what a good tip to combine a few different brands and add things to oomph it up! hehe Shall try that next time! hehe thank you for sharing dearie! Beautiful as usual! x

    37
    Reply to Lianne'> Reply

  39. I am also not a lover of “instant” foods but I love S&B curry. I remember I was also very surprised when my roomate for one summer back in college, a Japanese girl, made this for me one evening. I have loved it ever since. Back in those days there were just a handful, not even maybe, Japanese restaurants in Milan and we happened to live right next to the only tiny Japanese grocery in the city. Imagine how lucky that was. They still sell S&B and I have moved back to the same area in the meantime, although things have changed a lot and you can practically eat sushi at every corner now!

    39
    Reply to Nuts about food'> Reply

  43. What could be more comforting and inviting than chicken curry served with hot, steamed rice? This looks so good, I wish I could taste this as I type.
    I am curious to know how the grated apples in the curry taste. Will have to try this recipe!

    43
    Reply to Asmita'> Reply

  44. Nami, I’m a big fan of Japanese curries – introduced to me by my Japanese friends Mika and Ryoko in Edinburgh. I wasn’t able to make them for years, but there’s a small Japanese café/shop in Tallinn, Estonia, now, so I can stock up on the curry. (They stock the S&B and Vermont curries). Meanwhile, I learnt to make decent alternative using miso paste and Indian curry powder 🙂

    44
    Reply to Pille @ Nami-Nami'> Reply

  47. Kimmi

    Thanks for sharing this recipe! I really liked your tip about adding a few other condiments to supplement the flavor of store-bought curry roux. I usually just throw in the blocks from a package of Vermont Curry, but I’ll try your suggestion next time I make a batch. =)

    I’ve also heard that some people like to add chocolate to their curry. I’ve never tried it myself, but I wonder if you have an opinion on it?

    47
    Reply to Kimmi'> Reply

    • Hi Kimmi! From time to time I do that too, but I get bored with the same flavor so it’s fun adding and see how we get the additional savory flavor by adding extra things. 🙂 Yes! I thought of adding it too, some also put coffee too. It adds “koku” in Japanese (if I translate it’s “savory”…). Just more deep dimension to the flavor. 🙂

      79
      Reply to Nami'> Reply

  48. I have never had Japanese curry before. Looks delicious!!!

    48
    Reply to [email protected]'> Reply

  50. Orchidea

    This is very interesting… I did not know you make curries in Japan. I have learned to make chicken curry from an Indian taxi driver in Singapore, funny story but his recipe was really good and I am still using it.
    Ciao.

    50
    Reply to Orchidea'> Reply

  57. Darlene

    I’ve used the SB Brand before but found the House brand better tasting and more to our liking. Curry and rice is one of our favorites; I’ve made the curry using udon noodles instead of rice as well and it’s also great! Thank you for the homemade curry roux. I will definitely try it!

    57
    Reply to Darlene'> Reply

  58. Ilonka

    Dear Nami-san,
    Thanks for the curry recipe–my husband will be thrilled.
    I am trying to locate a Japanese bento blog: it’s called something like O-hitori no… bentou… He/she does gorgeous magawappa bentos. I lost the bookmark when my office computer died and would be so grateful if you could search in Japanese and see if you can find it. Sorry to ask…
    Many thanks,
    Ilonka

    58
    Reply to Ilonka'> Reply

  59. Mouth.Watering. WOW!
    And I like the fact that you can make it today and eat it tomorrow!! 🙂

    60
    Reply to [email protected]'> Reply

  62. Looks terrific! Really nice recipe – terrific combo of flavors. Thanks for introducing me to Japanese curry – I’ll definitely give this a try.

    63
    Reply to [email protected]'> Reply

  63. I’ve been looking for a good base recipe for a chicken curry rice for some time so I’m very happy to see this post. The boxed curry roux that I used for the beef was pretty good and I have another box (actually, I think I have TWO) in my pantry that I can use for this on one of these cold weekends when I don’t want to go out. This time, I won’t overcook the potatoes though as my pictures last time weren’t very appetizing. And cut back on them as well.

    I’m definitely adding the tonkatsu sauce etc for a flavour boost as well. 🙂

    68
    Reply to A_Boleyn'> Reply

  64. Nami-San
    This is one of family’s old standby favorites. I usually buy the “House”brand Japanese curry the mild flavor… You know the one with the pictures of the apples on the front of the box. Adding additional shredded apples and tonkatsu sauce or ketchup/soy is a great idea to give it that extra homemade taste and depth of flavors. If there are any leftovers the next day, I like to make curry udon. Nice photo Nami-San you make even brown food taste good. How do you do that? Ja Mata, BAM

    69
    Reply to Bam's Kitchen'> Reply

  66. This curry can be simple but looks very, very yummy. I’d be very happy to eat a good plate of it with rice. xx

    71
    Reply to Denise [email protected] Brazil To You'> Reply

  68. I love that you add apple and honey for a little sweetness to the curry – my mom made this dish all the time growing up, and I used those bars of curry roux to cook it for myself in college. It always reminds me of home. =) I want to try your homemade curry roux recipe, just have to get some garam masala. Thanks for sharing, Nami!

    73
    Reply to Lillian'> Reply

  70. Nami, If I wasn’t sitting in front of the computer…I would be jumping up and down!! I love these S&B curry packets. I have used them several times and I actually bought one recently to make a Japanese curry for the blog. 🙂 I am so excited that you use it too. 🙂 Looks marvelous…. I can actually taste that plate in my mind because I know that lovely curry flavor. 🙂 Yayyyyyyy!!!

    75
    Reply to Ramona'> Reply

  74. Jayne

    I’ve never picked Japanese curry when having Japanese food simply because in Malaysia, we have a great variety of curries and they are usually on the spicier side. I guess my tongue isn’t too used to sweet mild curries. Then again, your pictures and descriptions drew me in! I think if I can convince myself to see this as stew, I won’t mind giving it a go at home. 🙂

    80
    Reply to Jayne'> Reply

  80. Nami, I have never heard of Japanese Curry before either but I think this sounds fabulous – I love the fact that you used the very tasty chicken thighs in this recipe. Apple and honey also sound like good, natural sweeteners. And the step-by-step recipe as well as your outstanding photography and presentation is just amazing, again. How very wonderful!
    Have a great Thursday!

    90
    Reply to TheKitchenLioness'> Reply

  82. Golden Curry is always my family’s favorite brand when it comes to Japanese style curry. I love the right amount sweetness of the roux. Well, one of these days, I will make my own Japanese curry from scratch and of course I will use your recipe. I love the addition of eggs and that is what I will add next. Thank you, Nami! 🙂

    92
    Reply to wok with ray'> Reply

  88. I love Japanese curry, it is probably one of the staples that I will order when out at a restaurant, especially in cold weather.

    98
    Reply to [email protected]'> Reply

  93. Hi Nami! I had no idea there was a Japanese curry. I love the idea of a make ahead meal. I’ve been spending the last month resting (well as much as possible) and reorganizing our meal plans. Make ahead meals are essential these days. This would be a big hit in our house. The kids I know would especially enjoy this dish. I think we’ll have to give it a try. Hope all is well. Kristy

    103
    Reply to Kristy'> Reply

  94. Nothing is more comforting as kare raisu! As a kid, on a busy night, my mother once plunked down a pot, a grocery bag of veggies and a block of roux, and set me to work with the rice cooker. I had fun in the kitchen, but I remember complaining to my mother that the writing was all in Japanese, and she told me to just wing it!

    104
    Reply to miss mochi'> Reply

  97. What an interesting and delicious curry! It is a little sweeter curry, you’re right, but the sweetness comes from the apple which really caught my interest. I love using apple in savory dishes! If I could find some of that instant curry roux, this would definitely become one of my go to meals as well. We both are curry fans of all kinds of curries. Every time I come here, I add something else to my list for the Asian market. 🙂 A great dish Nami!

    107
    Reply to mjskit'> Reply

  105. Hooray, I have a box of Golden Curry in my drawer now from the Japanese store in Paris. I made a beef curry with it the other day – omg, so good!

    I love your idea of adding a bit of honey and ketchup to it… I’ll remember that for next time – thanks 🙂

    118
    Reply to Charles'> Reply

  106. Julia Yuko Lee

    My family and I love Japanese curry. I grew up on S & B Curry…as a very little girl, I didn’t like the strong aroma and refused to eat it; BUT, we went to Japan when I was 7, and my grandmother made curry for us, and I don’t know why but I LOVED it ever since then! Probably grandma’s special touch! I have fond memories whenever we have curry, even now!

    119
    Reply to Julia Yuko Lee'> Reply

    • Hi Julia! Sorry about my late response. Your message was in a wrong folder by accident… Yes, it must be the grandma’s special touch or can be the environment (being in Japan, etc). So nice to hear you have fond memories, I do relate curry with lots of good memories too. 🙂

      155
      Reply to Nami'> Reply

  108. I love love love Japanese curry. It`s my favorite kind of curry, too. I`m always craving some, especially with katsu!

    This looks wonderful. I tend to buy the S&B curry in pouches where I just boil the curry and pour it over my rice. Hehehe. I didn`t realized you could do so much with the curry roux blocks!

    121
    Reply to Lynna'> Reply

  110. This is one of my favourite types of curries!!! But wow i had no idea that you were able to make the curry roux at home 🙂 I always thought it was some trade secret hehe!

    123
    Reply to [email protected]'> Reply

  111. Nami, your curry looks so gorgeous and so beautifully served with the egg and the ginger (is it pickled ginger?), I have almost forgotten that Japanese curry is the only Japanese dish I don’t like. I tasted it several times, I did it twice and gave the remaining roux to my Japanese friend. I must try one day making my own roux. I’m sure it changes everything and I’m sure your curry is exceptionally good 🙂

    124
    Reply to Sissi'> Reply

  113. Mae

    Hello Nami:

    I tried your recipe this afternoon and must say that I am very happy with the results. My spouse does not care for the store bought roux so this was a challenge to make it from scratch. After the butter melted, I added the flour and worked on it for less than 5 minutes and it already had the yellowish-brownish color. Was that too soon to add the curry, garam masala and the cayenne pepper? Also, I did not have honey and thought of using maple syrup and did not make that choice.

    We had a yummy dinner and have leftovers for tomorrow.

    Arigato!

    126
    Reply to Mae'> Reply

    • Hi Mae! Thank you so much for trying this recipe already! I think your heat was probably strong and it turned the color very quickly. Usually it takes a long time – like 20-30 minutes. Did the roux nicely swell? I’m not actually quite sure the difference it makes by cooking shortly vs taking a long time. Maple syrup could be fine too. You only put a little bit, not to change the flavor but to add more complexity. I’m happy you enjoyed this dish. Usually the leftover tastes better too! Arigato for your feedback! 🙂

      134
      Reply to Nami'> Reply

  115. Oh, I did not know that there is a Japanese version of Curry, it looks so good! I am a big fan of curry, it is so easy to make, you can play around with ingredients, and you are so right, it even tastes better the next day! Love your plate!!

    128
    Reply to [email protected]'> Reply

  117. Hi again Nami! Just wanted to let you know I made this today and it was wonderful! I added some shrimp in addition to the chicken thighs and it was a hit! I love the chunks of veggies and your tricks to add ginger, garlic, honey, ketchup, etc (I skipped the apple this time). I used the ready-made S&B curry and was wondering if homemade roux would taste very similar or a bit different? Anyway, I will definitely be making it again! Thanks for sharing these great recipes! : )

    130
    Reply to Monica'> Reply

    • Yay!!! Thank you so much for trying this recipe! YUM shrimp sounds wonderful. I make seafood curry sometimes too, but I put shrimp, calamari and other stuff. The S&B curry roux is definitely delicious, but it’s always same taste. But hopefully you can arrange the homemade roux to make YOUR favorite curry. 🙂 Thank you for your feedback Monica! You made my day!

      143
      Reply to Nami'> Reply

  119. Lily

    Hi Nami,

    Bravo. This is so simple yet very delicious. I’m Malaysian and used to spicy curry. However, I’m very surprise to find myself liking the Japanese curry as much as I do. I certainly will be making this again.

    Thank you so much for sharing.

    132
    Reply to Lily'> Reply

    • Hi Lily! Haha – I know what you mean. When you like spicy curry, Japanese (sweet) curry sounds very strange. I’m really happy to hear your feedback. It’s easy to make and I’m glad you will be making this again. 🙂

      136
      Reply to Nami'> Reply

  120. I’ve been searching for a Japanese curry recipe in preparation for the cooler months (I’m in Australia, btw). This looks so simple and delicious and thank you very much for providing steps on how to make the curry from scratch, something which I’m hoping to try. Thanks for sharing and love your blog!

    133
    Reply to Libby'> Reply

  121. If I know I won’t have time to make something the next night I usually go for a soup/stew or a main dish salad since those are the easiest things to make ahead 🙂

    I love Japanese curry, that looks so hearty and delicious. I’ll give it a shot the next time I know I won’t have time to make dinner!

    137
    Reply to Food Jaunts'> Reply

  122. Oh boy, it seems so long ago when we made Japanese curry at home. When I visited Mark in Japan, we made them a few times with the same curry roux you had. Japanese curry dinner in the tiny apartment was absolutely fun. Seeing your curry makes me want to cook them again to relive the memories:)

    138
    Reply to [email protected]'> Reply

  125. Nami this looks so good! The first time I had this was in college from my roommate who was from Japan. She was a really good cook and I was always fascinated by the way she cooked and shopped for groceries each day. We would tell her she could shop once a week for groceries and she said no that is not how we do it in Japan. It was with my roommate that I tried oysters with some of her other Japanese friends, they loved it that I would try it. I’m definitely going to try this out soon 🙂

    141
    Reply to Suzanne'> Reply

  128. I’m excited to try the homemade roux. I’ve had the boxed kind many times, but it was never the same as the Japanese curries I would get at the curry houses. And it looks like I actually have all of the ingredients! Great recipe Nami.

    146
    Reply to Gomo'> Reply

  130. Nami, I adore chicken curry and your dish is so tempting! I love the addition of an egg, too. As soon as Passover ends and we’re eating rice again I’m going to make this one. Thank you for sharing! Have a wonderful weekend!

    148
    Reply to Hannah'> Reply

  131. I am so behind Nami, please forgive me for taking so long to get to your posts. This is perfecting timing, my daughter was just saying today she’d like to have some chicken curry. Thanks for the recipe.

    149
    Reply to Sandra'> Reply

  134. CK

    Nami,

    I was wondering if you ever make manju with your curries. I always have just a bit left when I make curry and I wanted to take a crack at Kare man but have yet to find a good manju recipe for it.

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    Reply to CK'> Reply

    • Hi CK! Ohhh Kare man! No, I don’t have a recipe with me, but now I wish that I have! I have been wanting to buy this home bakery (Japanese bread maker) which allow me to make the dough for nikuman easily… One day I have to figure out how to make delicious kare man (or niku man and anman) at home! I put it in my list to make. 🙂 Thanks for your suggestion!

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  135. Nami, I just made this for dinner tonight and it tooK me back to my college days when my Japanese roommate made this all the time. I made the curry roux myself since we don’t have stores here that have the ready made mix. I only changed a few things like I added a bell pepper and used chicken breast. It was sooo good, love, love, loved it. I put it over coconut rice so it would take some of heat out of the curry for my family that can’t handle the heat. Thank you so much dear, and I may have to post about this too!

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  136. Noora

    Your curry is the new favourite dish in my family. They’ve asked me to make it twice this week already! It is so hard to make food everybody will eat, so I am really happy. I had seen the curry roux in stores before and tried to make it once, but your recipe makes it taste much much better 🙂

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    • Hi Noora! Thank you so much for your feedback, and I’m really happy you enjoyed this recipe! I can definitely eat curry twice a week. 😀 Make Curry Udon using the leftover curry the next day, that’s another favorite dish of mine. 🙂 Thanks again for writing!

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  137. Lucy

    I usually make curry w/ the prepackaged roux for an easy, lazy dinner. But I tried your recipe last night with the prepackaged roux + soy sauce/ketchup and it turned out extremely salty. I love the sweetness from the honey and apple, and the kick from the ginger, but the sauce was much saltier than all the curry I’ve had (in restaurants, at home, in Japan, etc). Do you think it could be the brand of curry cubes that I used (House)? Thanks!

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    • Hi Lucy! Thank you so much for your feedback. No, I don’t think it’s because of the brand of curry cubes. Usually it’s about the same with slightest difference between brands. Only thing I could think of is that the amount of ingredients were less than mine or/and the stock was evaporated more, which leads to more salt content in the curry. Next time, would you try adding a little bit less and see if that helps? It’s very common to add extra seasonings to your curry as I mentioned in the post, so I hope you get to play with the ingredients and adjust to your liking. (of course the packaged curry is already good, but it wouldn’t be so unique. ;))

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  141. Mary

    I could probably eat this every night and not get sick of it. I’ve made this before with the boxed roux and following their instructions but yours are superior. I tried it before I added the roux and if I ever want chicken soup, I’m making it using these directions and stopping before adding the roux.

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  142. Alina

    Hi Nami, my colleague and I have both made your curry recipe and it’s delicious. We’ve been busy comparing notes. I used the store bought curry roux this time and after I added all 200g of it, the sauce became quite thick. I added a little more water to thin it out some more. Next time I will give the home made version a go. Thanks for sharing!

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    • Hi Alina! Thank you for trying this recipe with your colleague! 😀 Adding water is the right solution. Depending on how much liquid inside the pot (after evaporated etc), it’s impossible for everyone to have the same amount of liquid left in the pot, so we need to adjust with the water/stock. 🙂 I hope you will enjoy homemade version as well. Thank you for your kind feedback!

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  143. Tony Chua

    I really enjoyed your recipe! It was delicious – I made a vegetarian version. I don’t cook often but this was fun to make and I can’t wait to eat this tomorrow for lunch at work. Thank you 🙂

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  145. Hanna

    What a wonderful recipe! I got lots of praise for the curry, and I visit the blog several times a week to check if you have posted a new recipe or to just look at all the recipes.
    Greetings from Norway

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    • Hi Hanna! So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe! I’m sorry my posting is less frequent these days (I’m visiting my family in Japan right now). If you like, you can subscribe to my blog, so you will know when I post a new recipe on the blog. 🙂 I will leave the link here just in case if you are interested (no pressure!). 🙂 Thank you for following my blog from Norway! 🙂

      https://www.justonecookbook.com/subscribe/

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  148. Adrien

    I tried this after having box curry a couple of times and getting overwhelmed by the high amount of sodium in store-bought roux. This was AMAZING. Despite having a lot of ingredients, it was very simple to make! Thank you for providing the recipe!

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  149. Madeline

    I just discovered your site, and am so happy I did! I ADORE Japanese food, and the only authentic restaurant in my city recently closed. It left a huge, curry shaped hole in my heart. I am going to make this tomorrow night, and can’t wait to explore the other amazing recipes you have!

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  150. I8POMjuice

    Hello! I just made this right now and…I have to say it is something Ive never tasted before 🙂 in a good way! its very healthy and has kick, I definately going to add cayenne next time. I was confused about the apple but it seems to all go together..thanks so much!

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    • Hi I8POMjuice! Thank you so much for trying this recipe. 🙂 Japanese curries are usually not spicy compared to ones from India or Thai. We put sweet flavor ingredients such as apples and honey to balance the spiciness (they are very common addition in Japanese curry). Hope you enjoyed it. 🙂

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  152. Ashley

    My husband and I lived in Japan for two years and one of our favorite foods was curry rice. I tried making it at home a few times following the box directions and it was never very good. We always went to CocoIchibanya or other curry places instead. But now that we live in America…well, I thought we would never have good curry rice again.

    Then I tried your recipe. It was perfect!!!! From the first bite I knew it was SO right. Finally, I can have my nostalgic bowl of curry rice anytime and the recipe was so simple! Thank you SO MUCH!!!

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    • Hi Ashley! Did you make curry roux from scratch, or you added extra stuff to the curry roux from the store? Either way, I’m really happy to hear that you liked the homemade curry! You can now eat the curry with fresh and best ingredients you get! 🙂 That’s the best part of making homemade food. You will soon feel comfortable adjusting the curry as you like. Try with different ingredients (seafood, beef, seasonal veggies). Enjoy! 🙂 Thank you for your feedback!

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  155. Alexandra Kassai

    Ahhh i really really lucky cause of i could find your recipes! Since i have been visiting this site, with my boyfriend we are just sitting inf front of your recipes and pics of food and say OMG yummy we have to make it.
    🙂 we are really into japanese foods and im really into your site of tummy happiness ^^

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    • Hi Alexandra! Haha you two are so kind, thank you! Hope you try making Japanese food at home! Some of them are really easy to make at home, and you don’t need to go to restaurants anymore. 😉 Thanks so mouch again!

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  157. Cassandre

    Hi Nami ! 🙂

    I’ve cooked Japanese Curry for years now, but I always followed the recipe on the curry packet : just adding water, potatoes, carrots, onions and chicken ; and it turned out very good each time. So I was surprised to find your recipe asking more ingredients and seasoning, but it seems to be a great addition.

    I would like to skip ketchup and use tonkatsu sauce instead ; do I skip the soy sauce too or add it with tonkatsu sauce?

    Bye,
    Cassandre

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    • Hi Cassandre! There is nothing wrong with the curry following instructions on the box! It’s common to add extra condiments to make your curry “special” and “different” at your home. Extra additions can be yogurt, honey, apple, milk, ketchup, tonkatsu/Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce… and interestingly it gives nice complexity. I make changes all the time to see what goes well with the curry ingredients. So it’s entirely up to your preference. Hope you have fun discovering extra flavors added to the boxed curry. 🙂

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  159. Jeremy

    Nami,
    I just wanted to say thank you for everything you do here. You have been an invaluable resource…
    I was looking for my next big challenge in my life and I decided to expand on my interest in Japanese culture and history. To my mind when really trying to understand a people, it helps to learn the language and their cuisine. So I am now a beginning self-study of the Japanese language, but I have limited resources to find authentic Japanese food here on the Virginia coast.
    I started with your Onigiri recipe which I and one of my friends loved. I recently also tried Omurice, and this the Simple Chicken Curry. My roommate who had been to Japan during his time in the Military told me it was spot on to what he would get while he was there. I have loved everything I’ve tried and cannot wait to try more recipes in the future. So thanks again from a budding cook and student.

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    • Hi Jeremy! Thank you so much for your comment and I’m really happy to hear you enjoy reading my blog! I’m excited to hear that you are interested in Japanese culture/history/language and food! Ingredients can be hard to find, but there are some online shops (Japanese grocery markets) available and hopefully closest Asian supermarkets carry some Japanese products. So glad your curry came out well!

      Thanks so much again for encouraging and supportive words. Arigato!

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  161. Florence

    Hi, Nami! I followed this and your roux recipe last night, and my husband and I both agree: 2 thumbs way up! There’s so much subtlety in the sweet and saltiness that every bite was so enjoyable. The big curry chain restaurant here in Okinawa is called Coco’s, and while they’re good in a pinch, there is zero complexity in their meals. Your recipe is by far my favorite for Japanese curry 🙂 Thank you for sharing! I’ll be trying out your other recipes soon!

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    • Hi Florence! Thank you so much for trying this recipe! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! 😀 I know Coco’s… I’ve tried it in Los Angeles and Taiwan (not in Japan though) and yes… it’s pretty basic, not really a great curry (but it’s good start for most people who had never had Japanese curry!). It’s more fun to adapt to your taste when you make from scratch. Hope you find your favorite spiciness and ingredients to your curry. Thank you for your kind feedback! 🙂 xo

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      • Frank

        Glad you like it! Like Chef Morimoto, I can eat Curry Rice every day. Once in a while I might go to curry restaurants in San Francisco, where I live. Volcano Curry is a 15 minute walk from my home. If I go to the Financial District I might eat at Muracci’s or stop in Japantown on the Bridge.
        When I used to go to Japan to the US bases, I ate a lot of Curry Pan, which unfortunately the ones made here are subpar compared to Japan.

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    • Hi Amanda! Yes you can freeze curry. Only thing that changes the texture is potatoes. I don’t mind the texture, but you may not like it. You can try and see – if you don’t like it, take out the potatoes before freezing. And you can freeze up to a month or so. I’ll add the info in the recipe. Thank you for your question!

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  166. riska erlinda

    hi nami,

    I would like to try your chicken curry rice for 3 person. should i use 1 box of store bought curry roux? i have seen ur keema curry recipe but it used only 2-3 blocks curry roux. does it make difference with the thickness texture and flavours?

    Thanks in advance nami ☺

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    • Hi Riska! Keema curry and this chicken curry is different. Keema curry is more dry/paste form (thick) and not much liquid. However, this curry requires some liquid (kind of like stew). Therefore you will need stock and more roux than keema curry. 🙂

      If it’s for 3 people, use half of the box (and cut down on the liquid and ingredients). Hope this helps!

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  167. Marise

    I’ve always made curry with the recipe on the curry roux box. I’ve never added anything to the sauce.
    Today I tried your recipe and it is wonderful! The sweetness of the apple & honey seems to bring out the spices in the roux so much more.

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    • Hi Marise! So glad to hear you enjoyed my recipe and thank you so much for your kind feedback. Your curry will never be the same package taste as you arrange your curry with additional ingredients. Enjoy experimenting! 🙂 Thank you for writing!

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  168. Allison

    Thank you so much for this delicious recipe. Like the previous poster, I always just followed the instructions on the box of curry roux. Your recipe makes it so much more delicious!!

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    • Hi Allison! Thank you for your kind feedback! The package tastes pretty good but it will always taste the same. Adding other ingredients (yogurt, soy sauce etc) give the curry taste a bit more depth. 🙂 So happy to hear you liked this recipe. Thank you for writing! 🙂

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  170. Cath

    Hi Nami,

    I grew up eating Vermont curry in Yokohama and love Japanese curry but not very keen on processed food. After coming across your homemade curry roux recipe I decided to give it a go and my partner and I were very happy with the result. We also found that the flavour improves with time – we packed the left overs and took it on our ski holiday with us (to Vermont actually 🙂 Thanks for the great recipe!

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    • Hi Cath! Hahaha, instead of the packaged Vermont Curry, you were eating homemade curry in Vermont! That’s awesome! 😀 I’m glad to hear you two enjoyed this recipe! Thank you very much for your kind response. 🙂

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  171. Jonathan

    I loved this recipe! It was really easy and very hearty. I love one pot recipes too.
    If I were to put some daikon radish in the next time I made this, how would you recommend cooking it? Should I basically treat it like a carrot?

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    • Hi Jonathan! I love one pot recipes too, especially in winter time. Thanks so much for trying this recipe. I’m so glad you like it! Yes, daikon takes slightly longer to cook than carrot. I’d cut a bit smaller than carrot so that cooking time is about the same. Hope this helps! 🙂

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  172. P

    Hi, thisis great I’m trying it today. If I knew it was so easy, I wouldn’t have paid $15 for my fix everyweek all these years! Will you be doing a Ramen recipe any time soon?

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  173. Noel

    I made this for dinner last night and it was really good and I definitely appreciate you sharing this recipe.

    However, I used a box of curry roux. The recipe on the box called for 2 and a half cups of water, not 4. I used the 4 cups and it came out WAY too watery.

    I just wanted to let other people know and it might be nice if you updated the recipe to use less water when using boxed curry roux.

    Anyways, thanks for sharing, it was good!

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    • Hi Noel! With the amount of ingredients used this recipe (I am talking about chicken, potatoes, etc), 2 1/2 cups of water is not enough to cover to cook the ingredients (See step 9). You lose some of liquid by skimming and evaporating, so 4 cups is necessary to cook for this amount of ingredients.

      The box doesn’t require the same amount of ingredients, therefore 2 1/2 cup maybe enough. If you put less ingredients than specified amount, most likely you won’t need that much water as well. Hope this explanation makes sense.

      I usually use one box to make curry (I don’t always use homemade roux), and I use pretty much same amount of ingredients as shown here, so I believe it should work.

      For those who are worried, I’d say to adjust the amount of stock/water according to the ingredients you use. Please also note that if you put too many ingredients (=more liquid required), then you may not have enough roux.

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  174. mub

    Growing up, this was the only type of curry I knew existed! Thai or Indian curries are ok but this is certainly my favorite. I hadn’t made it myself until tonight. It was fantastic! I added a red bell pepper and a celery stalk but otherwise followed the recipe. Thanks for sharing it!

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    • Hi Mub! So happy to hear you enjoyed this curry recipe! I also grew up eating Japanese curry only…but now I love Thai curry. 😀 Thank you very much for your kind feedback. It means a lot to me! 🙂

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  175. Sarah

    Hello. Just stumbled upon your website yesterday and saw this recipe. I’m not very comfortable with cooking and the detailed recipe with pictures is just great! Haven’t found many of those. Will be making this recipe once I get curry powder and will tell you how it goes. Looking forward to browsing through more recipes. Thanks!

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  178. Amanda

    I love this recipe! I originally found it while I was searching for a way to make the curry roux at home – we used to buy the packaged blocks, but when we started eating less packaged foods, I wanted to make it myself. We have made the Chicken Curry a half dozen times or so – and tonight I made the recipe with leftover duck and homemade duck stock from our Valentine’s Day dinner. This is fabulous and so very versatile! Thank you so much for this recipe, and for your whole site. It is amazing!

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  179. Mellie Lei

    Oh my gosh, I love Japanese curry so much. I’ve been making it for myself since high school, but your recipe looks so much tastier. I have a suggestion for eating it leftover in a lunch or as a snack. If you take roasted seaweed sheets and wrap bites of curry in them, it’s super tasty! Thank you so much for your recipe, I look forward to making it.

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  180. Karin

    I just made this, and it’s super tasty! I can’t eat gluten though, so I used your recipe for curry roux, replacing the 4 Tbs flour with 2 Tbs superfine brown rice flour and 2 Tbs potato starch (and I used GF soy sauce, too). The final curry was a tad thicker, but still delicious. Thanks for the great recipe!

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  181. Erica

    This recipe is amazing! I have been cooking Japanese curry with the S&B curry roux and have been having a hard time getting my partner to agree to me making it for dinner because they thought it was too bland. Your recipe changed that! They said “This one is actually flavorful. It’s good!” I’m so happy because I love Japanese curry but wasn’t getting to make it as often as I liked due to the “blandness”. Now I won’t feel guilty when I make it for dinner! I agree this recipe really adds some needed flavor to the curry roux and it is just DELICIOUS. Thank you so much Nami!

    My only question is in regards to the step where you add the potatoes. I left the pot simmering from the previous step to cook the potatoes and after the 15 minutes they were still undercooked. Should I have raised the heat a bit at this step? I eventually did and it worked out just fine, but would like to know what to do next time so it doesn’t take as long. You said to “cook” the potatoes for 15 minutes so maybe I should have assumed that meant to raise the heat from simmer. Either way not a big issue just curious how you do it! ^_^

    Thank you again for helping me incorporate Japanese Curry back onto our menu!

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    • Hi Erica! I’m happy to hear your kind feedback and thank you! Regarding the potatoes, if you don’t mind the potato shape, you can add to the pot when you add carrots. Sometimes potatoes disappear or break into smaller pieces while cooking. If you prefer to keep the shape, I recommend to add it later. If the potatoes are smaller like 2 inch pieces, 15 minutes of simmering should be enough, but cook until it’s tender. Depends on potatoes, size, and heat, the cooking time will vary. I personally don’t mind potatoes disappearing or shrinking so I put it together with carrots or slightly later… Hope this helps! I’m happy to hear you get to enjoy Japanese curry more often. 🙂

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  182. Stacy Gonzalez

    I bought instant curry the type where you just put it in the microwave to heat up. Would I still have to add the chicken broth while I’m cooking the chicken or should I just cook the chicken and nothing else because it comes with vegetables as well.

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    • Hi Stacy! I know which product you’re talking about. Those are already made and the flavor is set (so as ingredients/liquid ratio). You can add cooked chicken pieces in it when you serve over rice, but you can’t add raw chicken (and chicken broth) to it and cook on the stove as it’ll dilute the flavor. Hope this helps!

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  183. Jaquelyn

    I just wanted to let you know that I make this recipe at least once a month. I used to live in Hawai’i and would eat at Curry House CoCo Ichibanya all the time. This is a great substitute recipe for it. Thanks! <3

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    • Hi Jaquelyn! Thank you so much for your kind feedback. I’m so happy to hear you like this dish! Mr. JOC used to like Curry House CoCo too, but now he is happy with homemade curry. I’ve tried it in LA and Taiwan, and I think our curry freshly made at home is better. 😀 Hope you will try adapting the curry to your liking and make your own version! 🙂

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  185. Maja Perez

    I’ve cooked with store-bought Golden Curry roux without adding so much as fresh ginger and garlic, but I’ve got to say this recipe blew me away. The extra condiments added complexity to the flavors in such a simple dish, from a culture known for the elegant simplicity in its cuisine. Thank you, Nami, for sharing this recipe, I will be making this again.

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    • Hi Maja! I’m so glad you tried adding different flavors to the curry. Isn’t it amazing? This way, you’re not eating so much of a boxed curry as it’s yours and more unique (and convenient). Hope you experiment with your favorite flavors and enjoy! Thank you for your kind feedback! 🙂

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  187. Darlene

    Hi Nami,
    I made the chicken curry for dinner yesterday and it was yummy! I tried to make my own curry powder minus the chili pepper and cayenne pepper and it worked. I like the fact that the ginger and apple are grated to add that subtle flavour. I used to make the curry roux, add liquids and then the vegetables. By cooking the chicken first, it seals the juices and makes the sauce more flavorful. The leftovers are even better as I made it with udon noodles. Thanks for your recipe! Darlene

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    • Hi Darlene! I’m so happy to hear you tried this recipe and enjoyed it! Thanks so much for your kind feedback! Yes, additional flavors are really nice and I feel it’s necessity. 🙂 I love curry udon with leftover curry! Now I want to eat curry…

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  188. Rachel

    I followed this recipe a few nights ago and it was absolutely delicious! My boyfriend loved it so much and now wants to have this Japanese curry for dinner more often. I used to just use the roux and didn’t enjoy it as much, but adding the grated apple, honey, soy sauce and tomato sauce really improves the flavour and overall outcome of the curry. Thank you so much for sharing!

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    • Hi Rachel! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe! Yes, adding the extra ingredients really help with more complex flavor and you can definitely personalize it. You can add yogurt and milk to make it more creamier and mild etc. Hope you enjoy customizing your curry! 🙂

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  189. Sandra

    Hi Namiko!
    Thanks so much for this recipe. I was wondering that, if we want to use tofu or veggies, when should we add them? And which veggies do you think work better?

    Thank you very much!

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    • Hi Sandra! Since tofu and veggies can be cooked quickly, you don’t have to cook for a longer time. So you can even reduce the amount of liquid, as you don’t have to take the amount of evaporation into count. If tofu, add after veggies are cooked. All you need is to heat up so tofu is not cold. Then you can add curry. You can add any vegetables of your choice, but make sure to cook hard veggies first, then leafy veggies (if you add) toward the last. Hope this helps!

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  190. Ling

    I am really liking your curry recipes and love it when you used more vegetables. There was one Japanese curry dish I had tried before which is very mildly spicy and sweet called coconut chicken vege curry (ココナッツローストチキン野菜カレー – I replicated the characters from the restaurant’s menu). I haven’t come across the recipe for this in English and the restaurant that served it mentioned that it’s a homemade recipe of theirs which they cannot share. I’d like to know if you would have this recipe added on to your curry collection here in the near future.

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      • Ling

        Hi Nami. Thank you so much for replying me. I have noted on your curry chicken recipe. I experimented around with the coconut milk (reading from one of your advice comments regarding the yogurt/milk condiments gave me the idea) and I still find it a much closer match to your Japanese Curry recipe. I will be definitely be trying it with roasted chicken later. Once again thank you and have a very Happy Lunar New Year.

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  193. Tanya

    this is the only curry recipe i use and i love it. it really warms me up and i feel so much comfort in this recipe. well now everyone wants to it so I am passing this blog post on to all my friends! Thanks for such awesome recipes!

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    • Hi Tanya! Aww I’m so happy to hear you like this curry recipe! Thank you so much for recommending my blog to your friends too! I’m honored and happy. Thank you for your support, Tanya! xo

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  194. Harry

    Been using this recipe for a couple of years now and it occurred to me I never thanked you! So thanks! My entire family loves this! I make it at least twice a month on request! I’ve done this recipe with chicken, thinly sliced london broil steak, and a vegetarian version I made once using zucchini/broccoli/cauliflower. It’s really adaptable!

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    • Hi Harry! Wow I’m so flattered and honored that you’ve been using this recipe for a long time and that your family likes it! Thank you very much for taking your time to give me your kind feedback. I really appreciate it.

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  196. Bawuk

    I absolutely love Japanese food and I’ve been learning to make them recently. I’ve been lurking on your blog and trying some simple recipes and finally was brave enough to attempt making curry and I DID IT! 😀

    Thank you very much for sharing this. I’ve always found your recipes and explanations the best to follow. 🙂

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  198. Israel Soltura

    Wonderful recipe, Nami. We’re taking care of a family friend who’s the widow of a Japanese businessman, and I figured I’d make this for her. I’d already bought a pack of garam masala from an Indian restaurant a couple of years back, and crossed that off my checklist of things to get. So then hunted down their supplier of Indian ingredients yesterday (the restaurant itself, sadly, closed). Turned out to be quite an adventure getting to that store (there aren’t a lot of Indian places in my country), but it was well worth it. Got a pack of meat curry powder.

    I had a lot of fun making the roux, especially since I can’t find roux cubes at any of the nearby supermarkets any more. Love how it smelled just like the S&B cubes that I used to buy. Totally ace. I tweaked the recipe a bit by adding a whole finger of turmeric (I just can’t imagine curry without real turmeric bits), and since we didn’t have honey on hand, I substituted an equal amount of sugar. Also the only chicken we had on hand was fillets rather than thighs, but I guess that makes eating it easier, huh? We also only had a Washington apple instead of a Fuji, so I went with that too. Didn’t have any Fukujinzuke either, but we did have eggs. So I guess in the end it wasn’t perfect, but still… well… see below. 🙂

    Our friend’s a double stroke survivor, so she’s got chewing problems, but to my surprise and delight when I went to check up on her, her bowl was completely empty and she was giving me a thumbs up!

    Since she’s as close as I can get to authentic Japanese, I was really pleased when she said it tasted just like what she’s used to. And since there’s still a ton of curry powder and garam masala here, I guess I’ll be making this whenever I get the chance.

    Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, Nami! 🙂

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    • Hi Israel! Oh my gosh! Your story made me almost cry! Thanks so much for sharing the story with me. I’m so happy that you made a wonderful Japanese curry for your friend and she even gave a thumbs up!!! you did a great job! I’m so happy to hear your adventure and it was exciting to read! Thank you for your kind feedback, Esrael!

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  199. Vanessa

    THANK YOU for that recipe ! I tried to follow the instruction on the curry box and it says 6 cups of water !! Can you imagine how liquid my curry ended ? 🙁 Also the translated instruction where so weird haha. The one on their web site qnd on the box aren’t the same either !!
    Anyways, i still have one cube so i’ll tried your way next time 🙂

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    • Hi Vanessa! I wonder if 6 cups of Japanese cups (200ml)? Do you mean one cube as in tiny block of 1 cube? You’ll need a whole block (or at least half block) of curry roux to make a pot of curry. 🙂 Just in case… since you mentioned one cube. 😀

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    • Hi Jenna! How thin was it? I recommend leaving the lid open so that moisture can evaporate, which will help thicken. With my recipe, I don’t have problem with curry being too thin. You can add more curry roux if you have some extra around… 🙂

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  202. Aimèe Artigliere

    L.O.V.E. this recipe. I substituted a gluten-free flour mix, (Cup4Cup) because I have celiac and cannot use flour. My entire family raved about this. Every.Single.Dish. I have made from your site is divine! We added a few raisins also. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

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    • Hi Aimee! I’m so happy to hear that you liked this recipe! I’ve heard from GF readers that GF flour works for this recipe and I’m so so happy about it! Also, your kind feedback about my recipes made me so happy. Thank you!!!

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  203. Raf

    Your cooking site, which is full of passion, inspired me to learn how to cook. Today, I actually cooked curry according to your recipe (more or less). It was probably the first meal I ever cooked (I am not counting “left-overs” fried rice recipes). Fortunately my mom and I enjoyed the dish I made. I will be trying to do okonomiyaki next.

    Thank you for this site – I like your detailed explanations and tips. I hope that you can continue sharing to everyone your culinary journey. More power to you, Nami-san!

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    • Hi Raf! I’m so happy to hear that you get inspiration from my site. Thank you for your kind words! And so nice to hear you tried this recipe and enjoyed it!

      Yes, I’ll keep sharing my recipes! Thank you for following and cooking with me!

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  205. Brianna

    I am a woman with Aspergers Syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder, which means that my food choices are often limited due to how I deal with textures and flavors of what I eat. I’ve learned several good recipes from this site, but this one is my favorite and I cook it several times a week for an easy meal that can be eaten later with a fresh serving of rice. Thanks Nami-san!

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    • Hi Brianna! I’m so happy to hear you enjoy this recipe. Thank you so much for your kind feedback. I generally know what type of food people would enjoy seeing on my blog, but it’s really encouraging and inspiring to learn which recipes people are cooking and all the feedback I receive has been very helpful when I plan future recipes for my blog. Thank you for writing! I’m so happy you found some recipes from my site. xoxo

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  206. Crystal P.

    I just wanted to tell you I am absolutely in love with this recipe. The first time I made it I used the Golden Curry roux blocks but since then I have made it at least 4 times using your homemade roux. It’s delicious! Honestly it’s even better the next day after the flavors really get into it. Thank you so much for this simple recipe for a delicious meal, I’ll probably be making this for years to come.

    I love the addition of ketchup, soy sauce and I even add worcester sauce to it.. It’s so wholesome and filling. Very much a comfort food. 🙂 Thank you Nami!

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    • Hi Ben! Japanese curry is really popular in Asian countries. As it’s not too spicy, kids (and family) can enjoy it. In Japan, it’s one of the top popular menus among kids and adults. 🙂

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