Japanese Chicken Curry From Scratch
User Reviews
4.7
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
1 hr 30 mins
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Total Time
1 hr 40 mins
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Servings
6 servings
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Calories
485 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Japanese
Japanese Chicken Curry From Scratch
Description
This curry begins by salting chicken thighs and browning them skin-side down for a crisp edge. Ginger and garlic are sautéed until caramelized, creating a fond that flavors the base. Onions are coated with baking soda solution to soften them thoroughly through steaming, then boiled down to intensify sweetness. Grated carrot adds further texture and sweetness.
The mixture is combined with vegetable stock and spiced with Japanese curry powder, bay leaf, star anise, soy sauce, tomato paste, and cocoa powder for depth. A ripe but firm banana is mashed into the sauce, balancing spices with subtle sweetness without overpowering. Potatoes and additional carrot pieces cook until tender in the sauce.
This curry, rich and layered in flavor, can be served with steamed rice. The careful use of ingredients like banana and cocoa powder distinguishes the flavor profile typical of Japanese-style curry.
Ensure the banana used is firm ripe to avoid an overly strong banana taste; substitute sweet grated apple if necessary.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 800 grams chicken thigh cut into large bite-size pieces, boneless skin-on
- 30 grams ginger (grated)
- 20 grams garlic (grated)
- ¼ cup water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- 600 grams onion 2 large minced
- 70 grams carrot (grated)
- 24 grams curry powder ~3 tablespoons, Japanese style
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 1 banana
- 400 grams potato
- 300 grams carrot
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 star anise
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon chunou sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
Instructions
- Add 1 teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon baking soda to ¼ cup water and mix until dissolved.
- Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to a heavy-bottomed pot such as a Dutch oven and heat over medium-high heat until the oil is shimmering (but not smoking).
- Add 800 grams boneless skin-on chicken thighs in a single layer with the skin-side down and fry undisturbed until the skin is browned and crisp (about 3 minutes). Flip the chicken over and brown the second side.
- When the chicken is browned on both sides, remove it from the pan and add grated 30 grams ginger and 20 grams garlic. Saute until you have a thick layer of brown fond on the bottom of the pot and the mixture is caramelized.
- Add 600 grams onions along with the baking soda solution and quickly stir to coat the onions evenly with the mixture. Cover the pot with a lid and reduce the heat to low, allowing the onions to steam for 10 minutes.
- Remove the lid and turn up the heat to medium-high, boiling the mixture until very little liquid is left.
- Add the grated 70 grams carrot and fry the mixture by stirring, then spreading the vegetables into an even layer and then stirring again until the onions are fully caramelized and the mixture is cinnamon brown.
- Add 24 grams Japanese Curry Powder and stir until it is very fragrant (about 1 minute). Be careful not to burn it.
- Add the4 cups vegetable stock and 1 banana, and then use a stick blender to puree the mixture until smooth.
- Now, you want to return the chicken to the pot with 400 grams potatoes, 300 grams carrots, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon chunou sauce, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 bay leaf, 1 star anise, and 2 teaspoons cocoa powder.
- Adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, and then let this cook until the carrots and potatoes are tender (about 1 hour). You'll want to mix the curry every 10 minutes to ensure it is not burning to the bottom of the pot.
- The Japanese curry is done when the vegetables and chicken are tender, and the sauce is like a thick gravy. Taste the curry and adjust the seasonings with salt and cayenne pepper to taste. If you like a looser curry, add water or stock to thin it out.
- To make Japanese curry rice, just serve your homemade chicken curry over Japanese short-grain rice.
Notes
- Use firm ripe bananas to avoid an overpowering banana flavor in the curry; overripe bananas can make the dish taste too sweet.
- If a banana is too ripe, substitute with a sweet grated apple to maintain balance in sweetness.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 485 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 485kcal | 24% |
| Carbohydrates | 40g | 13% |
| Protein | 27g | 54% |
| Fat | 25g | 38% |
| Saturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 6g | 35% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 10g | 50% |
| Trans Fat | 0.1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 131mg | 44% |
| Sodium | 1587mg | 66% |
| Potassium | 1134mg | 24% |
| Fiber | 7g | 28% |
| Sugar | 12g | 24% |
| Vitamin A | 10840IU | 217% |
| Vitamin C | 29mg | 32% |
| Calcium | 96mg | 10% |
| Iron | 4mg | 22% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.7
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