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.
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.
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.
My Other RecipesWhat 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.
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!
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.
When I make this Japanese chicken curry, I often cook up a big batch for leftovers and keep them in the refrigerator for a few days or in the freezer up to a month. Hope you enjoy this delicious Japanese Chicken Curry recipe!
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- 1.2 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
- soft/hard-boiled egg
- Furkujinzuke (red pickled daikon)
Gather all the ingredients.
- Discard the extra fat from the chicken and cut it into bite size pieces. Season with a little bit of salt and pepper.
- Peel and cut the carrot in rolling wedges (Rangiri) and cut the onions in wedges.
- Cut the potatoes into 1.5 inch pieces and soak in water for 15 minutes to remove excess starch.
- Grate the ginger and crush the garlic.
- Heat 1 1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat and sauté the onions until they become translucent.
- Add the ginger and garlic.
- Add the chicken and cook until the chicken changes color.
- Add the carrot and mix.
- Add the chicken broth (or water).
- Bring the stock to boil and skim the scrum and fat from the surface of the stock.
- Peel the apple and coarsely grate it.
- Add the honey and salt and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Add the roux paste back into the stock in the large pot and stir to combine.
- Add soy sauce and ketchup. Simmer uncovered on low heat, stirring occasionally, until the curry becomes thick.
- 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.
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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Kate @ Kate from Scratch
Looks and sounds so deliciously enticing! It’s easily adaptable for a vegetarian version too, which I always like. Great recipe, Nami. Thanks for sharing.
Mel
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.
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 😀
Nami
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. 🙂
Jean
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. 🙂
Sylvia
I don’t think that you’ll believe me but I don’t think that I’ve ever had a japanese curry before! Somehow, I’ve never ordered it before as I so love the other options! 🙂
Monica
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…
Patty
Love curry rice!!! I haven’t made it from scratch in years. I usually buy the already made packet that you just boil in water. I know…lazy. lol.. 🙂
Nami
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. 🙂
Laura (Tutti Dolci)
I love chicken curry! This looks so flavorful, Nami! 🙂
Sandra's Easy Cooking
I could go for Japanese Curry right now…it’s bit cold here today- comparing to the weekend weather, so this would hit the spot to warm me up! Great clicks Nami!
Shannon | JustAsDelish
I always wonder what Japanese Curry taste like.. didn’t know it’s sweet. Love your bowl-plate.. 🙂
Chef and Sommelier
Hi Nami! We cook this frequently at home too…Once a week, in fact!
The kids love the sauce with rice… very yummy and easy meal to prepare.
hui
i love japanese curry! in fact, i made your hambagu steak and served it with japanese curry (from a box!) for dinner ^^ it was delicious!
Hari Chandana
Very beautiful pictures !!
La cocina de Vero
We love it at home, but we never try it with chicken. Thanks for the idea.
Best,
Veronica
Kelly
Gorgeous pictures, this recipe looks delicious! Love the flavors! 🙂
Eileen
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!
Monet
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!
Ashley Bee (Quarter Life Crisis Cuisine)
I had no idea there was a Japanese curry! That’s really cool.
[email protected]
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.
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!!
Nami
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!
Eng Natto Gil
Did it,..so good, Namilicious,,I think this whole pot will only last 1 day..lol :d
Nami
Thank you Eng! I’m so happy to hear you liked it! 🙂
yummychunklet
I’m going to have to look for that store-bought roux. Looks delicious!
A Little Yumminess
We love Japanese chicken curry – made it at home recently….it was yum!
Lisa H.
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
Nancy/SpicieFoodie
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
Alayna @ Thyme Bombe
Love Japanese curry! My husband is not as in love with it so I never make it at home. There’s a box full of unused curry roux in my pantry right now that I always make a sad face at when I see it. Might have to just make some for myself and eat it when he’s not home.
GourmetGetaways
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 🙂
Kitchen Belleicious
this does look simple! I love it. You know what I just saw in your related post thing up above- the rainbow cake. I am about to go check that out because i am having an art party for my 4 yr old in april and that is the perfect cake to do:) thanks ahead of time for the idea:)
Vicki Bensinger
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.
Mich Piece of Cake
Thanks for the recipe to do the curry roux from scratch, I prefer to do it that way. This dish looks delicious! I have always loved Japanese curry.
Juliana
This is the way that I make curry…using the “magic” box…I heard of adding apples, but have yet to give this a try…beautiful pictures Nami.
Hope you are having a great week 🙂
Marianna
Japanese curry is the only curry I enjoy. I normally buy curry roux. I didn’t realise it can be made from scratch. I will have to give it a go. Thanks for another great recipe Nami!
Nami
Thank you Marianna! I hope you enjoy making this homemade curry roux recipe! 🙂
Sue | My Korean Kitchen
I’m having a Japanese curry tonight for dinner! It’s my sister’s on the go menu when she doesn’t want to cook for too long. 😀 (It’s going to be S&B Golden Curry – hot flavour!)
Katerina
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!
Anne ~ Uni Homemaker
Yum! I love Japanese curry. It’s always my go-to meal whenever I want to make something simple for dinner. I love the addition of the hard-boiled egg. Delicious!
Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious
Japanese curry is the best! My mom made a very similar version of this when I was growing up!
Now I’m totally craving curry.
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef
I know this will sound silly but I LOVE Japanese curry. Every time we’ve been if it’s on the menu John will say, “She’s having the curry.”
I’m going to try this tomorrow!
Lianne
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
The Ninja Baker
Traditional Japanese curry is one of those comfort meals I can eat all year round. Thank you for sharing your stellar recipe, Nami-san =)
Nuts about food
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!
Giulietta | Alterkitchen
I love curry dishes, and I totally love this one!
My mouth is watering (it’s lunch time… why I’m looking at this?!) O__O
I want your curry!!!
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella
Ahh yes Japanese curry! Just one box transports me back to living in Japan 😀 I wonder if it is possible to make this from scratch? It’s quite unique though!
Carol | a cup of mascarpone
You amaze me, Nami…what an awesome cook you are!!! This looks so delicious, even at 8:00 a.m. in the morning, as I type my comment! Thank you for the great step by step photos, as always!
Asmita
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!
Pille @ Nami-Nami
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 🙂
Karen (Back Road Journal)
I have seen the box of Golden Curry in the markets before but didn’t realize it was for making a Japanese curry. Your recipe and photos make me think I must try it.
Baby Sumo
Thanks for sharing your homemade roux recipe, I am not a fan of using boxed roux so I will try your recipe.
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?
Nami
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. 🙂
[email protected]
I have never had Japanese curry before. Looks delicious!!!
Eri
Oh my Gosh Nami, this is just beautiful, I think it’s going to be my project this weekend!
Cheers my friend, hugs and kisses!
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.
Valerie @ From Valerie's Kitchen
Mmmmm curry. This looks like a comforting curry stew to me. We got some rain last night and this morning so this was absolutely the perfect thing to wake up to.
Ashley - baker by nature
Ooooooh I love chicken curry! This looks absolutely delicious, Nami!!!!
Helene
I could eat Curry dishes every day. Do I ever love your pictures. Thanks for the recipe!
rosemarie
I always cooked japanese curry but you have a different version and I would love to try it one of these days. I’m sure that your recipe would be awesome! Thanks!
Nami
Thank you Rosemarie! I hope you enjoy this recipe! 🙂
Lillian
Hi Nami, what kind of apple do you use for this recipe (or what kind of apple shouldn’t you use for this recipe)? Thanks!
Nami
Hi Lillian! I used Fuji apple. I’d recommend a sweet apple because the purpose is to sweeten the roux. 🙂 Thank you for asking! I’m going to update with Fuji apple. 🙂
Betty Ann @Mango_Queen
What an excellent meal! I love the step by step photos you showed. It’s so helpful. Yes, I’ve always known there was Japanese curry because we’ve had it from restaurants. But this is my first time to see how it’d done homemade. Thanks for sharing, Nami! My sons will love this dish. Will try it soon. Have a great week!
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!
Nami
Thank you Darlene! Hope you enjoy making homemade curry roux! I always eat curry udon the next day lunch. Ahhh I need to make curry again so I can eat curry udon! 😀
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
Nami
Sending you an email. 🙂
[email protected]
Mouth.Watering. WOW!
And I like the fact that you can make it today and eat it tomorrow!! 🙂
Rosa
That curry looks mighty comforting and tasty! Something I have never eaten…
Cheers,
Rosa
CCU
Lovely lovely lovely my friend, I am dying to try a vegetarian version 😀
Cheers
CCU
[email protected]
Looks terrific! Really nice recipe – terrific combo of flavors. Thanks for introducing me to Japanese curry – I’ll definitely give this a try.
A_Boleyn
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. 🙂
Bam's Kitchen
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
treexlx
what is the red flaky thing on the side of the dish?
Nami
They are pickles called Fukujinzuke. It’s usually served with curry. 🙂
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukujinzuke
Denise [email protected] Brazil To You
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
milkteaxx
i mush prefer a japanese curry to traditional curries. i make this uqite often cos its simple and can always take to work the next day too!
Lillian
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!
Gemma @andgeesaid
Hi Nami!
I just stumbled upon your blog! This recipe looks fantastic, thank you for sharing! I’m going to be making it for dinner soon!
Come check me out at http://andgeesaid.blogspot.com.au/
(: gemma xx
Ramona
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!!!
Raymund
Nice one, we nearly have the same recipe except for the apples. We also sometimes uses sweet potatoes instead of the usual potatoes which gives a really nice texture and flavours
Holly | Beyond Kmchee
I love Japanese style curry. I used to make it very often with the store bought roux. Although adding the soy sauce and ketchup at the end is new to me but I think I will kick up the flavor. Great comfort food that can be prepared easily and quickly. Thanks for sharing, Nami.
Kristi Rimkus
My husband isn’t a fan of curry and I love it. When he’s off on his fishing trips I make all my favorite dishes. I’ll be including this dish on my list of treats while he’s gone on his next trip.
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. 🙂
Rhonda
Growing up we always had spaghetti as a last minute meal. This looks delicious, I will have to look for that curry when I go to the Asian market.
Jeannie
I am drooling looking at your curry, so delectable! I would add more chilli flakes to give it more heat 😀
Rowena @ Apron and Sneakers
I’m one of the people who something today. I didn’t know that there is a Japanese curry. I don’t think I can find that curry roux here so I hope the Japanese restaurants here have them. I would like to try it!
Christine @ Cooking Crusade
oh YUM Nami! Japanese curry is one of my absolutely faves (well except for curry udon… recipe request please?! hehe!) I fell head over heels in love with it and love to indulge – especially with the ease of those golden curry rouxs at home! Can’t wait to read your homemade roux recipe 😀
Steph
Turned out fantastic! I used a can of coconut milk with a bit of chicken powder mixed in instead of using just chicken broth. Was really flavorful and creamy 🙂
Nami
Hi Steph! I’m so happy you liked it. I love coconut milk too! Thanks for your feedback! 🙂
TheKitchenLioness
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!
Gourmantine
I didn’t know there was a version of Japanese curry but I love the sweeter touch (as in everything I eat). And beautiful photos, I especially like the last shot 🙂
wok with ray
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! 🙂
Yelena
Simple is always good, with our busy lifestyles we need more simple dishes. I am very familiar with carry, but I never had a Japanese kind. Thank you, I will check the Asian stores for it.
Candice
Very interesting! I’ve never added apple, honey, or ginger to curry before. I will definitely be giving this a try. Thanks, Nami! =D
Nami
Oh I would highly recommend! 🙂 They are very common ingredients in fact (it’s not my original. :))
Sandy
Yum! I can’t wait to get stuck in!!
Nami
Thanks Sandy! Hope you will like it! 🙂
Blackswan
Just got back from another vacation! Looks like I’m missing out a lot. My friends love buying Japanese instant curry as it’s so convenient. Great one-dish meal too!
Lail | With A Spin
I’ve had Japanese chicken curry in Tokyo and loved it. I’m sure your homemade one is 100 times better than that.
[email protected]
I love Japanese curry, it is probably one of the staples that I will order when out at a restaurant, especially in cold weather.
Belinda @zomppa
The golden curry mix IS great, even though I don’t usually like boxed mixes!
Linda | The Urban Mrs
Yum! I’ve been using Golden Curry brand so far, but I’m so eager to try making homemade roux, sounds like a challenge for me.
Jenn and Seth
I’ve never had Japanese curry before, this sounds fabulous! I need to try this!
Fern @ To Food with Love
Love Japanese curry. I usually add apple and honey too, gives it a lovely sweetness. Thanks for sharing the recipe for the curry roux….I’m surprised how simple it is! Looks yummy!
Kristy
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
miss mochi
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!
tigerfish
The only brand I have tried before is S&B but I like your tip about mixing 2-3 different brands. That reminds me…I have not cooked Japanese curry for a long long time 🙂
Mi Vida en un Dulce
When i saw the title that this post is related to a Japanese curry I start thinking…”what? is there a Japanese version of Indian curry? Oh…I learn a lot with you.
mjskit
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!
faithy
Looks so yummy!! I love Japanese curry too! 🙂
Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover
after we taken a very nice vegetable curry in Kyoto the other day, now my husband seem like to order Japanese curry whenever we taking meal at the Japanese restaurant, hehehe..I have almost finished use up the curry roux that i bought during the trip, time to replenish some. I like your curry, sound simple and yummy!
nipponnin
Love, love curry rice. チキンカレーはあまり作らないですけど。美味しそうだね。楽しい春休みを過ごしてね。
Reem | Simply Reem
This looks fabulous Nami!
You know curry n rice is my goto meal too… Simple and it does always taste better the next day.
I am loving the last pic.. it is beautiful!
The Squishy Monster
Wow! What a spectacular but easy dish…you win me over every time, Nami!
Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking
This looks so warm, hearty and delicious, Nami! I know it wouldn’t last long in this house, for sure. Thanks for sharing!
Aunt Clara @ Aunt Clara's Kitchen
You had me at “currry”. It doesn’t matter where it comes from, there’s nothing as satisfying as a hot plate of curry. Now I have another one in my arsenal. The husband shall be happy. 🙂
Charles
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 🙂
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!
Nami
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. 🙂
Adrian (What the Heck is Filipino Food)
Love it. I’ve always wanted to try a hand at Japanese curry. I find it less heavy than the other curries.
Lynna
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!
Kelly
I love Japanese curry especially when it’s Katsu curry! Very comforting dish.
[email protected]
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!
Sissi
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 🙂
Balvinder
Really! This is a Japanese chicken curry. Sounds delicious and I am looking forward to trying this.
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!
Nami
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! 🙂
Jen L | Tartine and Apron Strings
Nami, I have a Japanese friend who made me this dish when we first met. It was my first introduction to quick Japanese curries! I haven’t eaten this in a long time, and I should introduce this to my family!
[email protected]
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!!
Laura|My Little Gourmet
This looks and sounds so good. I am fan of any kind of curry and have never tried Japanese Curry. Love this, especially the addition of the apple! I will definitely have to give it a try… Thanks!
Monica
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! : )
Nami
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!
Dominique
I LOVE Japanese curry! I use the Golden curry sauce. I have not heard of adding the apple. I just might take up your suggestion of adding the tonkatsu sauce or ketchup!
Nami
Hi Dominique! I hope you will like more complex version of Japanese curry! 🙂 Thanks for your kind comment!
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.
Nami
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. 🙂
Libby
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!
Food Jaunts
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!
[email protected]
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:)
jhiselle
do you know of a brand that does not contain MSG???
Nami
Hi jhiselle! All these big brand name boxed roux has MSG. In Japan there are more high end and famous chef’s produced roux etc…. but unfortunately those don’t go outside of Japan. So it’s very hard to find. Hope you will try making your own roux.
https://www.justonecookbook.com/how-to/how-to-make-curry-roux/
Terra
I did not know about Japanese Curry, thank you for sharing! With our chilly weather this dish would warm me up! I love that you served it with a hard boiled egg! Yum, Hugs, Terra
Suzanne
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 🙂
Ella-Home Cooking Adventure
This is looking soo good, love the use of apple. Guess I just found my next recipe to make.
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com
Oh my gosh! How do you find the energy for all of this beautiful step-by-step photos?! It’s mind boggling 🙂
Gomo
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.
Lori Lynn
I use the boxed version too, it’s surprisingly good!
LL
Hannah
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!
Sandra
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.
Wizzy
I adore the flavour of Japanese curry. I wish I could make it from scratch as the ready made mixes aren’t always available here.
Stephanie
I just made Japanese curry using Golden Curry two nights ago! I always make extra so I can freeze it for later. =)
Stephanie
Oh, and thank you for the homemade Curry Roux recipe! Now I don’t have to buy anymore and can make it at home!!! ^_^
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.
Nami
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!
Suzanne
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!
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 🙂
Nami
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!
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!
Nami
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. ;))
maria at inredningsvis
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Have a wonderful weekend dear
LOVE Maria from inredningsvis.se
(Sweden)
Mayra
This dish looks delicious and it looks very easy to make 🙂 thank you <3
Nami
Hi Mayra! Thank you for your feedback! I hope you will like this recipe! 🙂
Christine @ Cooking Crusade
YESS I love this recipe! I LOVEE Japanese curry soooo much and have often tried making it the cheat way at home with the instant curry roux but it always seems to be missing a few things – and now I know what! Thanks for sharing another winner recipe 😀
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.
Nami
Thank you Mary! I hope you enjoy the recipe! 🙂
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!
Nami
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!
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 🙂
Nami
Hi Tony! So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe. Thanks for trying this recipe and giving me your feedback. Enjoy your leftover lunch tomorrow too. 🙂
Yushie
Love ur recipe,i will try this^^
Nami
Thank you Yushie! I hope you will enjoy this recipe!
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
Nami
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/
Vivalabbird
Hi Nami,
I just made this recipe tonight, but I doubled everything since I was serving 8 people. The result was phenomenal! Thank you!!!
Nami
Thank you for your feedback Vivi! I’m glad to hear you enjoyed this curry. You make me happy every time you write your feedback. Thank you for your encouraging words!
Adeline
Hi Nami, just wanna let you know i tried this out last night including making the roux and it was a big hit with the family. We love it so much! Domo arigato, Nami!
Nami
Hi Adeline! Thank you so much for trying my recipe! I’m really happy to hear you enjoyed it! Arigato! 🙂
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!
Nami
Hi Adrien! Ohh I’m so happy to hear you liked this recipe and thank you for trying and leaving your feedback here. I’m glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
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!
Nami
Hi Madeline! I’m terribly sorry for my late response. I’m so glad you found my site. I hope you enjoy cooking Japanese food at home! Thank you so much for your kind comment. 🙂
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!
Nami
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. 🙂
Jenna
Its really good. I changed it up a bit though. Instead of honey i used maple and without the Cheyenne pepper it was still evenly spicy but not burny. Still awesome recipe.
Nami
Hi Jenna! I’m glad to hear you enjoyed it. Thank you so much for trying this recipe and writing your feedback. 🙂
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!!!
Nami
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!
Caitlin Liao
Hey Nami! I just made this tonight, with the curry roux and everything. It was so good! My husband loved it-success!! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Nami
Hi Caitlin! Thank you so much for trying this recipe, and I’m so glad you and your husband enjoyed it. Thanks for the kind feedback! xo 🙂
carrisa
Made this curry and even used your recipe for the homemade Curry Roux and it was fantastic! Very very delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
Nami
Hi Carrisa! Thank you for trying my recipe! Glad to hear you enjoyed it. 🙂
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 ^^
Nami
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!
Blaknite
Does the apple change the flavor much?
I do not keep apples due to allergy to them.
Nami
Hi Blaknite! Don’t worry, just omit apples! It adds sweetness to the curry, but optional. 🙂
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
Nami
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. 🙂
Chris
Can I use Indian curry powder instead of blocks?
Nami
Hi Chris! If you are going to make “Japanese curry”, you have to make curry roux first. I use Indian curry powder to make curry roux too. 🙂
https://www.justonecookbook.com/how-to/how-to-make-curry-roux/
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.
Nami
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!
Gina
This recipe is awesome! I’ll eat any type of curry, and this is great info on this type of curry. Easy and super delish
Nami
Hi Gina! I hope you enjoy Japanese curry! 🙂
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!
Nami
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
Frank
Just saw a video from Chef Morimoto making rice curry from a Golden Curry Box. I particularly use the extra hot Golden Curry.
http://firstwefeast.com/eat/masaharu-morimotos-curry-rice-video/
いただきます。
Nami
Hi Frank! OMG, this is awesome! Thank you so much for sharing this video. I enjoyed the chef cooking Japanese curry rice! 😀 ありがとう！！！
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.
Nami
I haven’t tried Volcano Curry or Muracci’s before. I should check it out! Ahh curry pan! I receive so many requests from readers for that recipe. I hope I can recreate it one day. 🙂
Amanda
Hi I just wanted to know if you can freeze curry and if so how long will it be good for?
Nami
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!
B.J.Y.
thank you for this. Wonderful with homemade roux.
Nami
Hi B.J.Y.! Thank you for checking this recipe! 🙂
Lovelace
I just prepared it for my family n they love it.its so simple n the steps were easy to follow.m so grateful : D… arigato.
Nami
Hi Lovelace! I’m so glad your family enjoyed it! Thank you so much for your kind feedback! Arigato! 🙂
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 ☺
Nami
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!
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.
Nami
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!
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!!
Nami
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! 🙂
Michelle
Tried this out tonight! Absolutely fantastic! Thanks for sharing 😀
Nami
Thank you for your kind feedback Michelle! So happy to hear you enjoyed this dish. 🙂
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!
Nami
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. 🙂
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?
Nami
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! 🙂
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?
Nami
Hi P! Hope you enjoy this recipe! I do have Miso Ramen and Spicy Shoyu Ramen if you’re interested… Thank you!
https://www.justonecookbook.com/recipes/homemade-chashu-miso-ramen/ (with video)
https://www.justonecookbook.com/recipes/spicy-shoyu-ramen/
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!
Nami
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.
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!
Nami
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! 🙂
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!
Nami
Hi Sarah! I hope you enjoy this recipe and thank you for your feedback. More recent recipes/posts include videos and I hope you find them helpful as well. Good luck! 🙂
AngelC
Thanks Nami! I’ve made this dish a couple of times and I loved it ^^ x
Nami
Thank you so much for your kind feedback AngelC! 🙂
Aaron
I have made this recipe several times – my girls love it. What a great website with fantastic recipes. Keep up the good work!
Nami
Hi Aaron! Thanks so much for your kind feedback! I’m happy to hear you all enjoyed it! 🙂
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!
Nami
Thank you so much for your kind feedback Amanda! I am happy to hear you like this recipe! I love duck… You must have made delicious curry! 🙂
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.
Nami
Hi Mellie! I hope you enjoy this recipe! Thanks for sharing the new way to enjoy the curry with roasted seaweed! 🙂
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!
Nami
Hi Karin! I’m so glad to hear you liked this recipe, and thanks so much for sharing GF option! My readers will appreciate your information. 🙂
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!
Nami
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. 🙂
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.
Nami
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!
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
Nami
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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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.
Nami
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! 🙂
Gary
This is a great recipe! I love the photos and step by step instructions. The extra condiments make the flavours so delicious! Thanks for sharing!
Nami
Hi Gary! Thanks so much for your kind feedback. I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the curry! Yeah the extra condiments do make the difference compared to just boxed roux. 🙂
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
Nami
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…
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!
Nami
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! 🙂
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!
Nami
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!
Sandra
Thanks so much! This really helped 🙂
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.
Nami
Hi Ling! I have one coconut curry recipe that I love, and I hope you give it a try. In the recipe name you wrote in Japanese, it says “Roasted Chicken”. Maybe the key is to use the roast chicken instead of regular chicken to add more flavor.
https://www.justonecookbook.com/coconut-curry/
Hope this helps! 🙂
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.
Nami
Thank you, and Happy Lunar New Year to you and your family!
Rin
Can this work in the slow cooker? would you do anything different?
Nami
Hi Rin! Sure! I think from Step 14 you have to do it after cooking on slow cooker. I haven’t done it so I can’t say for sure, but I would not put curry roux from the beginning… 🙂
Van
Can I omit the apple? Or sub with something else.i do not have an apple on hand or pear.
Nami
Hi Van! Sure! Apple is one of common additional ingredients, but you don’t “have to” add it. 🙂 I listed optional ingredients you can add in Japanese curry on my latest post here: https://www.justonecookbook.com/pressure-cooker-japanese-curry/
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!
Nami
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
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!
Nami
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.
Lena
Thank you for sharing this recipe
Nami
You’re very welcome, Lena! Thank you for your kind words!
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. 🙂
Nami
Hi Bawuk! Yay!!! I’m so happy to hear you like my recipes. Thank you for trusting and trying my recipes! 🙂
babybluepowder
Thanks for sharing. I made this recipe at the cottage with the thermal pot. Went out for a hike and came back to a delicious meal.
Nami
I’m happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for your kind feedback. 🙂
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! 🙂
Nami
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!
Israel Soltura
Thanks, Nami! I just wanted to give back to you, and figured the best way was to let you know you and your recipes are doing a lot of good. Consider me subscribed. 🙂
Nami
Ah! I just realized my typo of your name. I apologize for writing E instead if I… 🙁 Thank you Israel! I’m honored that you enjoy my recipes! xo
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 🙂
Nami
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. 😀
Clay Parker
tried this recipe today and it was delicious – like they make it in Japan
Nami
Hi Clay! I’m so glad you liked it! Thank you for trying this recipe! 🙂
Jenna
what do i do if it doesnt thicken?
Nami
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… 🙂
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!
Nami
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!!!
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!
Nami
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!
Lauren
How much oil should we use for the recipe?
Nami
Hi Lauren! I updated the recipe with 1 1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil. Thanks for asking!
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!
Nami
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
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!
Nami
Hi Crystal! I’m so happy and excited to hear your feedback, and thank you for spending your time to write me. Glad my homemade roux recipe works for you! Yes, I agree about the next day. The first day, flavors are still not there. If I invite someone for Japanese curry, I’d invite them on the 2nd day. 😀 Hope you experiment with toppings you can add. I made a list of choices here:
https://www.justonecookbook.com/pressure-cooker-japanese-curry/
Thank you again!
Ben Myhre
This looks really tasty and no… I did not know there was a Japanese curry.
Nami
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. 🙂
Nien
I love this curry! I made it with beef and it was delicious. This curry tasted just like the curry i had when i visited Japan.
Nami
Hi Nien! I’m happy to hear you liked it! Thanks for trying this recipe Nien! xo
Wendy
UM wow, this tasted amazing. Copied the recipe word for word and made my own Curry Roux. No left over sadly
Nami
Thanks Wendy! So glad you tried homemade curry and enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for your kind feedback!
Raymund
Yum! Japanese curries are one of my favorite dishes. Love this
Daniel
This looks really great and authentic, trying it out tonight
Nami
Hi Daniel! Hope you enjoyed this recipe! 🙂
Nadia
Thank you
This was amazing!!!!
Nami
Hi Nadia! So happy to hear that! Thank you for your kind feedback!
Linda
Very tasty! This is the first time I didn’t use the packaged block curry seasoning and we loved it. Today we will have it with rice, tomorrow Curry Udon. Thanks!!
Nami
Hi Linda! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for trying my recipe – I hope you enjoyed both curry rice and curry udon! 😀
Nina
Hello,
How Much of the homemade curry roux do you put in the curry, following this récipe and your récipe on the homemade curry roux ?
Thank you
Nami
Hi Nina! Homemade curry roux is for 4 cups of liquid, and this recipe requires 4 cups of liquid, so it is just perfect amount. 🙂
Rin
I tried this recipe a few weeks ago over the weekend. I can’t tell you in words how much I loved it. I normally just use the curry blocks they sell in the Asian grocery stories without adding anything special, just the sauce, water and root veggies.
you took up a delicious recipe and made even more, even better, like you took it up wow-I-can -not-stop-eating-this. it took three days finish up the leftovers.
this will be my curry recipe. period. I already been telling people I work with how awesome it is.
Thank you!!
Nami
Hi Rin! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe so much. Thank you for your kind feedback. 🙂 I truly appreciate your support! xoxo
Sheila
I cooked this just now and it is amazing! So simple and yet tasty. Thanks for sharing us this recipe.
Nami
Hi Sheila! Thank you for trying this recipe! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for your kind feedback! 🙂
Caitlyn Baldo
love, love, love this site!!! We just moved to CA after living in Okinawa for 3 years. My whole family (2 year old toddler included) miss Japan so much. Just One Cookbook has helped me recreate lots of foods we’re missing so we’re a bit happier. Thank you Nami!
Nami
Hi Caitlyn! Thanks so much for reading my blog! It seems like you had a wonderful time in Okinawa. I’m glad my blog has been useful. 🙂
Matt Wicks
This is such a great approach to this recipe, and super easy to follow, even for a novice cook like myself. I’m finishing my second batch and will return to your site when it’s time to make my third. Thank you!
Nami
Hi Matt! Thank you for trying this recipe! I’m so happy to hear you liked this recipe. And I visited your website – wow, really, really well-done site! Pictures are breathtaking!
Kaylin L.
How important is the chicken to this curry if I am making this along with the tonkatsu.? Might I be better suited to just use chicken broth and extra veggies?
Nami
i Kaylin! It’s really up to you, I’d totally make vegetable curry and put Tonkatsu on top. Mr JOC would be happy with chicken curry on first day, and second day (less chicken in the curry) with Tonkatsu on top. 🙂
Carolina
Hi Nami! 😀 I’m planning on doing this recipe soon! I want to do the curry rouge from scratch, I have seen your the recipe, but the thing is that I’m not sure if the serving size stated in that recipe would be enough for this one or if I should double the quantity or do 1 and a half servings…. I hope I’m explaining myself well enough! Everything in your blog looks deliciously amazing <3
Nami
Hi Carolina! This recipe requires 4 cups liquid, so theoretically, the homemade roux is just right amount for this recipe. However, if you adjust the amount of vegetables or you prefer pretty thick curry, I recommend making double amount. It’s a lot easier to add broth/water to dilute the curry than not having enough roux. The liquid amount also depends on how long you cook (and let the liquid evaporate) etc too. Hope this helps!
Carolina
Hi again Nami! I made your recipe with 1.5 servings of the homemade curry roux and it came out perfect!!! My boyfriend loved it so much that he told me he wanted this to be his b-day dish! His b-day is tomorrow, so here I am again x) Just wanted to thank you for sharing such an amazing recipe <3
Nami
Hi Carolina! AWESOME! Happy Belated Birthday to your husband! He’s so lucky you made this dish. 🙂 Thank you for taking your time to write your kind feedback. xoxo
Kat
Love the curry recipe!
btw, this issue you may not be able to do much about, but I feel the need to at least let you know about it: there is an ad (I believe for Dell) continuously loads on this page and even when I kill it (exit it) or try turning off the sounds, it will simply restart itself and play again. It is incredibly annoying (and as I listen to podcasts while I cook, interferes with my regular evening habits). I’m not sure if you can bring it up with google ads or not, but if I continue to see that particular ad on other pages, I’ll let you know. Hopefully it will just cycle through and go away.
Nami
Hi Kat! Happy to hear you liked the recipe! And thank you very much for letting me know about the ads problem. Some readers told me about the auto playing sound (and it shouldn’t be according to ads partner’s rule for ads companies), and I’m going to report to my ads partner (it’s not Google). Thank you for letting me know, Kat! I’m hoping to fix this issue soon. Please email me if this continues.
Nami
And by the way, if you can get a screen shot of the ads, please send it over as my ads company request for a screen shot. Thank you!
Kesondra
I made this today and it was delicious! Tastes like the curry from the Japanese restaurant up the street from me. I used tofu since I didn’t have any meat on hand. I served with quinoa, roasted chickpeas, lentils, and peanuts. I also used homemade roux from the recipe you guys have listed with home-mixed garama masala. Will definitely make this again!
Nami
Hi Kesondra! I’m so glad you liked this recipe! I’m so happy you made the roux as well! Thank you for your kind feedback! 🙂
Ariane De Loa
I try to make this no less than once a month. It’s so good and satisfying, as well as cost efficient to make!
Nami
Hi Ariane! So happy to hear that! Thank you for trying this recipe! 🙂
silvia aceti
I’m cooking チキンカレーright now.. but without carrots because i don’t have them and didn’t plannen to Cook this dish tonight…so…Hope it’s good ad well
Skjra
I’m cooking チキンカレーright now.. but without carrots because i don’t have them and didn’t plannen to Cook this dish tonight…so…Hope it’s good ad well
Nami
Hope you enjoy! Yes, it’ll work without carrots. 🙂
rudy
Hello Nami, Is there a way to make kare raisu gluten free? I believe the golden curry uses wheat. Is there a golden curry that is wheat free?
Nami
Hi Rudy! I’ve recently made homemade curry roux (recipe link above) with gluten free flour and it was pretty successful (slightly different texture as regular flour). There is no gluten free curry roux made by big brand names that are available in the US… so try making the roux from scratch. 🙂
ed
This looks amazing. I have one comment – coconut milk is surely not dairy.
Nami
Hi Ed! Thanks for your kind words. And thanks for pointing that out – I fixed it. 🙂
Kathy
Thanks for this great recipe! I love the detail and pictures and I have used this recipe a bunch of times. It’s my go-to and I panicked when earlier today the site was down.
Nami
Hi Kathy! Thank you for your kind words. I apologize about the website being down. We finally moved to a new host with higher security, so we shouldn’t get attacks! HUGE RELIEF…
Kenneth
I love using this recipe and think its fantastic! But the 15 minute prep time is far, far too optimistic. Unless you have the ability to replicate yourself, it’s more like an hour of prep, unless you forego removing the fat from chicken, which takes almost 30 minutes alone, then maybe you can get the time down. Maybe the order that the instructions are provided aren’t the most effective way to quickly prep everything. I’ve made this meal 5 or 6 times and every time it’s the same story, prep takes forever. Other than that on little thing, this recipe is AMAZING!
Nami
Hi Kenneth! Thank you for bringing this to my attention. Yeah, I agree. It should be 30 minutes at least from Step 1 to 5. I’ll double check the prep time when I make this recipe next time. For now, changing to 30 minutes. I’m happy to hear you enjoy this recipe. Thank you!!!
Emanuel
how many blocks of the raux do i use? i have 8 that came with the box.
Nami
Hi Emanuel! Use all 8 pieces. 🙂
Kei
I am glad to find a recipe that provides the roux- even though the cubes are easy to find, I am likely to have the roux ingredients on hand and I love to really get down to basics with my food!
On the roux, it says 20-30 minutes- is that for real or is it just 2-3?? I just eyeballed for the color, and it tasted fine in end, but I’m not sure if I followed the recipe properly.
Anyway I ended up using new potatoes and adding a tomato because it was in the house- didn’t soak ’em since new potatoes aren’t too starchy, and while I have never seen a tomato in a restaurant curry, I remember some Korean 3min ready curry with it. Maybe it’s not proper, but (Japanese style) curry is just so flexible and versatile that it lends itself to some experimentation!
I think I was most pleased with the heat level too- tingly, but not distracting. All in all, I will certainly use this recipe in the future.
Nami
Hi Kei! Yes, homemade roux is really nice – I especially like it as it’s not complicated recipe and MSG-free. When I’m too busy, I still use the Japanese curry roux, but I like having both options. 🙂
Haha, yes it is 20-30 mins. Supposed to be slowly cook to get the nice aroma and color.
I love your addition of tomatoes, I’d love to try that! Thank you for your comment! 🙂
Nora
Hi Nami,
I think you have a glitch with the youtube link on your website to the Instant Pot Chicken Curry. When I click on it, it shows the video for the omelet with tomato sauce instead. Just wanted to let you know, it must have happened recently because I was able to view it before in an email.
Nora
Nami
Hi Nora! Thank you for taking your time to letting me know. I think I know what you’re talking about.
https://www.justonecookbook.com/pressure-cooker-japanese-curry/
In this IP Japanese Curry post, there are two videos. One for IP Japanese curry video, and there is another video right below – this video player shows different videos and recently it’s been playing Omurice recipe (the omelette with tomato sauce). It’s a ad video player for my site. I apologize for the confusion….
Yolanda
Hi, thank you for the wonderful recipe! I can’t wait to try it. Just one silly question though: Is there any good substitute for the carrots? Or can I skip them completely? Will it affect the flavor much? Everyone in my house dislikes carrots, you see… Thanks in advance! 🙂
Nami
Hi Yolanda! You can totally skip it, and I don’t think it affect the flavor much. You can include other vegetables if you prefer. 🙂
Samantha Luk
Hands down my favorite Japanese Curry Recipe. It’s the only recipe I can find that is as good as my dad’s was growing up. Favorited! Thanks for sharing.
Nami
HI Samantha! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe! I appreciate your kind feedback. Thank you Samantha!
Larry
Made this one tonight. Found it pretty salty. I am going to have tontry not adding the salt with the apples, the salt on the chicken and maybe use low sodium chicken broth and soy sauce. I used the pre-packaged curry roux so i wont be able to adjust it’s salt level. .
Nami
Hi Larry! Sorry to hear about the high salt level. Yes, remove all the salt that is added to recipe. Hope you enjoy it next time.
Vincent
I don’t usually comment on anything on the internet, but I just wanted to say thank you. I just made this chicken curry recipe using your homemade curry roux recipe… and it’s AWESOME. It took a while, but it was all worth it because it tastes (in my opinion) even better than the store-bought stuff, with WAY less sodium.
I’ve been exploring a lot of Japanese cooking this year (my favorite cuisine), and your blog is basically my number one resource. I make your gyudon recipe all the time, and your onigiri recipe, and more. It’s all exactly like the stuff I had when I visited Japan. Frankly, I don’t think I’ll ever go back to using pre-prepared, store-bought mixes anymore because of what I’ve learned from you.
I’m always excited to see what new recipes you have, so thanks again, and please keep doing what you do! 🙂
Nami
Hi Vincent! Thank you so much for your kind feedback, and I’m SUPER happy to hear you enjoy my recipes. Thank you for your encouraging words too. I’m glad JOC has been a good source for you to cook Japanese food. I’ll work hard to keep it up! 🙂 Thank you again for taking your time to write. Your comment made my day!!
Kelly
This is my go to recipe for curry. Tonight I’m making it for the first time using a packet roux.
Nami
Hi Kelly! So happy to hear you enjoy my curry recipe. Have a wonderful dinner. xo
renee evans
Dear Namiko,
The red picked dish alongside the curry and rice. Can you tell me what this is because the Fujinzuke I buy is a brown shoyu color.
Thank you
Renee Evans
Nami
Hi Renee! Most common Fukujinzuke is known as a red color, but recent years with healthy eating consciousness, people prefer not to have fukujinzuke with red coloring. It’s just an iconic look to have curry + red color fukujinzuke… but I highly recommend the brown one because taste is exactly same. 🙂
ELle
Hi, I lovebirds your recipes and tried this curry just tonight. It tasted good but the chicken started to get shredded while the carrots weren’t too soft yet. ALso, the sauce got too thick and had to keep adding water to dilute abit. Is it right that I have to use whole box as it gets way too thick even with just 3 bars. Thanks
Nami
Hi Elle! Thank you for trying this recipe! Do you think chicken pieces were small? Maybe stir fry at Step 8 a bit longer? Or carrot pieces were bigger (and took a longer to cook)? When sauce gets too thick, it can be due to lack of vegetables (if you adjusted the amount – vegetables release water too), your heat was too high, so water evaporated faster, or kept the lid too open for too long (and evaporated)… FYI (in case you’re not familiar with Japanese curry), the curry is very thick. Not like Thai or Indian curry. It’s the roux we use that makes the curry thicker than other kinds of curry. So keep that in mind. But we can always thin out as you wish. Hope this helps…. 🙂
David
do you grate the whole apple or just a quarter?
Nami
Hi David! I used whole apple, but cut into quarters to grate. If you prefer to make it spicy, you can adjust the amount of apple according to your liking. I recommend tasting the curry before adding more. 🙂
Diane
Having nothing in the fridge but chicken, I gave my husband and daughter a few choices of what we can have for dinner, and they requested for curry. I didn’t feel like using the generic store-bought yellow curry we have, so I searched up Japanese-style curry. I’m so happy I came across your recipe. The ingredients are simple, and I made the roux according to your instructions.
The dish was a hit! Thank you for sharing. This will be my go-to recipe for Japanese curry.
Nami
Hi Diane! I’m so happy to hear that your first Japanese curry came out well! Thank you for your kind feedback, and I’m glad your family had a wonderful meal! 🙂
Melissa A.
We like to use a homemade roux recipe by Marc Matsumoto from No Recipes. He has a more updated version of his Japanese Curry recipe, but this video from youtube makes THE BEST Japanese Curry I’ve ever had. I am sorry I have not tried this recipe, but I just wanted to share this because it is so flavorful. I mean I could eat this stuff everyday for the rest of my life. Really. (side note: instead of grating in an apple, we just add the tablespoon of honey and we do not use a cardamom pod because we can’t find them) So far I have loved all your recipes though!! You’re the reason I can make homemade miso soup now!
https://youtu.be/Rxg67_xvtxU
Nami
Hi Melissa! Thanks for sharing, and I remember this video from Marc’s. I’ll meet him again this summer so I’ll let him know how much you enjoy his recipe! I’m happy to hear you enjoy my homemade miso soup recipe. 🙂
Aimèe Artigliere
My children love this recipe. Tonight’s dinner with veggies. Yumm. Thanks so much. I love your blog!!!
Nami
Hi Aimee! I’m so happy to hear your children enjoy this dish! Thank you so much for your kind feedback. 🙂
Anna
When we had a japanese high school student come to board with us this year I made a resolution to try and cook a japanese meal every week to help her feel at home. Your recipes have been so helpful on this cooking journey! This curry has become a firm family favourite, as well as being our student’s favourite comfort food!
Nami
Hi Anna! You are such a wonderful host and the Japanese high school student is so lucky to be able to eat Japanese food oversea! I’m happy to hear you all enjoy this recipe. Thank you for your kind words!
Jake P
I came here because of Japanese anime, I left with a deep and longing hunger for curry rice.
Thanks, Nami
Nami
Hi Jake! There are a lot of people who come to my site seeking for Japanese recipes that were featured in anime and drama. 🙂 Thank you for visiting!
Christina
Can’t wait to try this. I live in Japan but prefer not to buy the curry boxes.
Nami
Hi Christina! Hope you enjoy this recipe! In Japan, there are more gourmet curry roux in powder form. Have you seen it? It can be curry roux from famous curry restaurants etc. You have way more healthier and delicious choices in Japan. 🙂
Jackie T
Hello Namiko San,
Just want to take a moment and say thank you for the curry recipe. My friend from Tokyo came to visit my family and I in the US I have decided to make him something he is familiar with. He loved the dish a lot and it was such a fun experience cooking this recipe. The recipe was simple to gather all the ingredients and it was of course delicious! Love the use of the apple and honey I never thought about it. Thanks again for your website I have tried many of your recipes!
Jackie T
Nami
Hi Jackie! Thank you so much for writing this kind comment. I’m so happy to hear you got to enjoy this dish with your friend from Tokyo! I am happy that my recipe was a part of your memory. 🙂
I won’t take credit on apple and honey – they are quite common ingredients to add to the curry. If you want to see the full list of other secret ingredients, I mentioned it in this post. 😀
https://www.justonecookbook.com/pressure-cooker-japanese-curry/
Maikel
Hi Nami,
This looks delicious. Can you tell me what size pot you are using?
I am looking to buy one, but am unsure about the size.
Regards,
Maikel
Nami
Hi Maikel! Sure! It’s this one (5.5QT):
https://amzn.to/2llQNAV
It’s a good size, but I’ve been using way more 4.5QT one (white color) for my daily uses:
https://amzn.to/2DJvEd7
All the Le Creuset you see in my videos and recipes can be found on my shop page here:
https://www.justonecookbook.com/shop/
Hope that helps!
Brandon W
Absolutely wonderful recipe. Better than most curries that I’ve had in Japan. Also very forgiving. Feel free to play around with your veggies: I took out one potato and added some sliced mushrooms in with the carrots.
One note, mine came out a bit on the thick side for my taste, so I added a few tablespoons of water from the boiling egg to thin it a bit. It didn’t dilute the taste and came out to my ideal consistency.
A++
Nami
Hi Brandon! Thank you so much for your kind feedback. Thickness comes from how much water escaped while simmering, and how much water content is released from vegetables. So it varies. For the curry, you can always dilute with water or broth, whenever the liquid is low in the pot. And if you ended up adding too much, let it reduce by simmering.
Anna
Hello, Nami. I am Anna, writing from Italy.
Japanese chicken curry, together with the roux, it’s the first recipe from your website that I am trying.
When I have started to make the broth and then I have tasted it, I suddenly have had a beautiful remind of my travel to Japan last June where I went with my hubby for our honeymoon,
I wanted to thank you for these recipes. I miss Japan but now I know that when I am looking for a sweet memory, I can just stop here to be inspired!
Arigato gozaimasu!
Nami
Hi Anna! Aww thank you for your sweet feedback! I’m happy to hear this dish reminded of your wonderful memories from Japan! I hope my website offers some of your favorite Japanese food. 🙂
Charisma Myers
Very tasty and easy recipie to follow. My husband said this was the best meal. I appreciate the pictures which eased my nervousness of cooking a new meal. Taste 5/5, recipie 5/5, medium level of difficulty so maybe 3/5. We have leftovers which we froze half the batch per your suggestion.
Nami
Hi Charisma! Thank you so much for trying out this recipe and I’m glad to hear step by step pictures were helpful and you and your husband enjoyed this meal! Thank you for writing your feedback!
Charlotte
Just finished making this and it’s so great! The little additions of honey, soy sauce and ketchup really add depth to the flavour! Didn’t make my own homemade roux this time because I already had a box of curry roux in the fridge but migt try it next time! So glad I followed this recipe. Thank you so much for sharing!
Nami
Hi Charlotte! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for your kind feedback. 🙂
Jessica
Delicious! The addition of the honey, apple, ketchup and soy sauce really added depth to the Golden Curry roux. I’ll definitely make this again!
Nami
Hi Jessica! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you so much for your kind feedback. 🙂