This Vegetarian Japanese Curry is delicious, comforting, and really easy to make. This quick meal is perfect for all sorts of vegetables and easily customizable.
I love curry. It’s comforting and spicy without being overwhelming and it’s an all-around perfect dish. Now I don’t discriminate, but I recently discovered Japanese-style curry, and my mind was blown. It is quite different from Indian curry but still has immense flavor.
And purchasing the curry roux’s make it really convenient and easy to make as a quick meal. In under an hour, I can have this flavorful and delicious meal.
Go check it out below!
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What is Japanese Curry?
Japanese Curry is a bit different from Indian Curry or Thai Curry. It’s more of a thicker stew with less spices. It focuses on umami and is typically served in one of three ways: over rice, with udon, or in a curry bread. It is one of the most popular dishes in Japan.
And it is so versatile. It is perfect with vegetables and meat (usually chicken, pork, or beef) and is a very comforting dish to have.
Ingredients for Vegetarian Japanese Curry
- Curry Roux. Most brands are not vegan or vegetarian friendly, but more recently, there have been some that don’t have meat. I used the Golden Curry brand. Just look at the ingredients before buying. You can find it online or at most Asian grocery stores.
You will also notice they will have a spiciness level of mild, medium, medium hot, or hot. Keep in mind that these markers were made with Japanese in mind, so I did not find it particularly spicy. But use your best judgement.
If you don’t want to use a premade curry roux, you can also make your own.
- Broth. You can use a vegetable broth, but I really like to use a no chicken broth (I use Better than Bouillon no chicken base mixed with water and little of mushroom seasoning for extra umami)
- Onions Caramelizing your onions releases their sweetness and gives more umami to the dish.
- Potatoes. Use yellow potatoes, they hold their shape better in stews.
- Ginger
- Mushroom. I sometimes add mushroom seasoning to boost the umami flavor.
You can also customize your curry by adding different condiments or flavors to add complexity to you curry. Most common is to add soy sauce, ketchup, tonkatsu sauce, or Worcestershire Sauce. This is also called “Kakushi Aji” which means hidden flavors. This is something added to a dish (usually sweet or sour) that accentuates the overall flavor just by adding a little bit.
Try adding some of these flavors to customize your curry:
- Apples (shredded with a grater)
- Ketchup
- Soy sauce
- Tonkatsu Sauce
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Coffee
- Sugar
- Cocoa powder
- Chocolate (Yes, really. Try it out!)
- Mirin or Sake
How to store?
Once you are finished cooking, store in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Reheat in a pan on low heat or a microwave.
It can also be frozen, but remove the potatoes because they don’t reheat well.
Want More?
Try Out Similar recipes below:
Vegetarian Japanese Curry
Materials
- oil for sauteeing
- 1 onion, sliced thinly
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp ginger, minced
- 4 whole mushroom sliced
- 1/2 apple, grated
- 2-3 yellow potatoes, peeled and quartered
- 4 cups no chicken broth I like using the better than bouillon brand. You can also use vegetable broth.
- 1 package curry roux cubes
Instructions
- To the bottom of a pot, add oil and onions. Let cook until slightly browned and caramelized. About 5-10 minutes.
- Add garlic and ginger and mix until fragrant. Make sure it doesn't burn.
- Add mushrooms, carrots, and potatoes. and sautee until softened. Add apple.
- Lastly add the no chicken broth or veggie broth. Bring to a boil and cover to let cook. Add more water if it over reduces.
- When it's almost done, chop your curry roux into small pieces. Add to a bowl and pour hot water over on top. stir with a fork or spoon to break up the pieces and mix until it is mixed in. This prevents it from clumping in the pot.
- Once dissolved, pour into the pot and let thicken. If too thick, add more water. If too thin, add a cornstarch slurry (1tbsp cornstarch to 2 tbsp cool water) to thicken it.
- Serve over rice or noodles.
Notes
- Apples (shredded with a grater)
- Ketchup
- Soy sauce
- Tonkatsu Sauce
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Coffee
- Sugar
- Cocoa powder
- Chocolate (Yes, really. Try it out!)
- Mirin or Sake
I hope you try this recipe. If you tried this recipe, let me know in the comments below.