Japanese curry rice
Comforting, mildly spiced Japanese curry with tender beef, carrots and potato, spooned over steaming short-grain rice.
This is the household hero of many Japanese kitchens: comforting, mildly spiced curry that’s built on a simple flour-and-butter roux rather than a ready-made block. It’s perfect for a cosy midweek supper or to feed friends — and the leftovers improve overnight.
The trick is in slow browning and a careful roux: both give the sauce its glossy, clingy texture. Serve with short-grain rice and pickles, or make extra and freeze in portions for a no-brainer dinner later.
Ingredients
- 30 ml vegetable oil
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 40 g plain flour
- 20 g mild curry powder — Japanese-style if available
- 600 g beef chuck — diced into 3 cm pieces
- 2 brown onion — sliced
- 2 carrots — peeled and cut into 2 cm pieces
- 2 potatoes — peeled and cut into 2.5 cm chunks (Maris Piper or similar)
- 1 apple — grated (adds sweetness)
- 3 garlic cloves — finely grated
- 20 g fresh ginger — finely grated
- 800 ml beef stock — hot
- 15 ml soy sauce
- 15 ml Worcestershire sauce
- 15 g honey
- 15 g tomato purée
- salt — to taste
- freshly ground black pepper — to taste
- 300 g Japanese short-grain rice — rinse and cook as below
Equipment
- heavy-based casserole or large saucepan with lid
- small saucepan (for roux)
- wooden spoon
- grater
Instructions
Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Drain, then place the rice in a saucepan with 420 ml water, bring to the boil, reduce to a low simmer with the lid on and cook for 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave, covered, to rest for 10 minutes.
Heat half the vegetable oil (15 ml) in a heavy-based casserole over a medium–high hob. Pat the beef chuck dry, season with a little salt and pepper, then brown the pieces in batches until well coloured on all sides — about 8–10 minutes per batch. Transfer browned beef to a plate.
Lower the heat to medium, add the remaining vegetable oil and 15 g of the unsalted butter. Add the sliced brown onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden and caramelised — about 8–10 minutes.
Stir in the grated garlic and fresh ginger and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the carrots, potatoes and the browned beef back to the casserole, then pour in the hot beef stock. Stir in the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, tomato purée, honey and grated apple. Bring to a gentle boil, skim any scum, then reduce heat to low and cover.
Simmer gently, covered, for 30 minutes or until the beef is tender and the vegetables are cooked through.
While the stew simmers, make a roux: melt the remaining 15 g unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the plain flour and cook, stirring, for 3–4 minutes to cook the raw flour taste. Stir through the mild curry powder and cook for a further 1 minute, then remove from the heat.
Spoon small amounts of the roux into the simmering casserole, whisking or stirring well after each addition so it dissolves evenly. Continue until the curry thickens to a glossy sauce — about 5–8 minutes.
Check seasoning and adjust with salt and freshly ground black pepper. If you prefer a sweeter or tangier curry, add a little extra honey or Worcestershire sauce to taste. Keep warm until ready to serve.
Serve the curry spooned over the hot Japanese short-grain rice. Finish with a grind of black pepper if you like.
Tips
- Brown the meat in batches so each piece seals and colours properly — that caramelisation is a major flavour source.
- Make the roux while the curry simmers; it saves time and keeps the roux warm so it mixes in smoothly.
- If the curry becomes too thick after chilling, loosen with a little hot stock or water when reheating.
- Make ahead: curry improves after a day in the fridge. Cool fully, store in an airtight container and reheat gently.
- For an authentic plate, serve with steamed Japanese short-grain rice and fukujinzuke or pickled ginger on the side (mentioned in the intro, not listed in ingredients).
Substitutions
beef chuck → bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed, same weight; reduce simmering time to 20 minutes
Stays closeplain flour → store-bought Japanese curry roux cubes (use 1 standard block for 4 servings) and omit homemade roux
Stays closesoy sauce → tamari (same quantity) for a gluten-reduced option
Stays closehoney → extra grated apple or a spoon of sugar (same sweetness contribution)
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 770
- Calories
- 40 g
- Protein
- 85 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 18 g
- Sugar
- 900 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this vegetarian?
Yes — swap beef chuck for firm tofu or extra vegetables and use vegetable stock. Replace butter with margarine or vegetable oil and consider a splash of soy for umami.
How can I make it gluten-free?
Use tamari for soy sauce and thicken with a cornflour slurry (mix 15–20 g cornflour with cold water) instead of the plain flour roux; add the slurry slowly to the simmering curry.
Can I freeze the curry?
Absolutely. Cool completely, portion into airtight containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently, adding a little stock if needed.
My roux lumped — how to fix it?
Remove any large lumps with a sieve and whisk, or blend briefly with a hand blender off the heat, then return to the pan and simmer until smooth.
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