Japanese Curry Using Roux Cubes (Including Lots of Secret Tips)

Caramelizing the onions (optional)

1. Thinly slice 300 g yellow onion. (The thinner the slices, the quicker they'll cook.) If you don't want to caramelize the onion, skip these steps and fry it later in the pot with the butter before adding the garlic and meat.
2. Heat a pan on medium. Once hot, drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil and add the sliced onions.
3. Fry the onions for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so that they don't burn. After 10 minutes, add 1 pinch salt and mix well.
4. Reduce the heat to low and continue cook for another 20-30 minutes, stir every few minutes prevent burning. (If the onions stick to the pan, add 1-2 tsp of water at a time to help unstick them.)
5. While they're cooking, prepare the rest of the ingredients. Once they're complete, they should look something like this:

Making the curry

1. Peel 200 g potato and 150 g carrot, and cut them into large pieces, slightly bigger than bitesize. (Try not to cut them too small otherwise they will fall apart during the cooking process.) Cut 300 g beef into bite size pieces.
2. Heat a large pot on medium and add the 1 tbsp unsalted butter. (If you chose not to caramelize the onions, add them here and fry until softened.) Once it's melted, add 2 cloves garlic (grated or crushed) and fry until fragrant.
3. Once the garlic is fragrant, add the meat to the pan and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Brown the surface to seal the meat.
4. Once the meat is seared, add the carrot and potato to the pot. Stir and cook together for a 1-2 minutes.
5. Add the caramelized onion to the pot and stir thoroughly to break it up.
6. Pour in 700 - 900 ml water (depending on your roux) and bring it to the boil. (If you want to add red wine, swap 10% of the water for the wine. Example: 850ml water becomes 765ml and 85ml of wine. You can also add tomato puree etc here if desired.)
7. Once it's boiling, turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer for 20 mins with the lid slightly ajar.
8. While you're waiting, check back from time to time and use a spoon to skim the foamy residue from the top of the simmering liquid. (If you want to add soy sauce, add it now)
9. After 20 mins, turn the heat down to low and add your Japanese curry roux. Mix it until the roux has dissolved into the broth and simmer without a lid for 5-10 minutes or until thickened to your preference. (If it becomes too thick, you can add more water, 50-100ml at a time. If it's too thin, simmer for a little longer and check every 5 minutes.)
10. Optional: If you want to add chocolate or coffee powder you can add them now.
11. Once you reach your desired consistency, remove it from the stove.
12. Serve with white rice and your favourite toppings, and enjoy!