Japanese Curry is usually sweeter and thicker than other traditional curries and is made by making a roux with butter or oil, flour and curry powder. Carrot and onion is the standard vegetable with the addition of beef or chicken. It is eaten over rice or udon noodles made of wheat flour. It is Japanese comfort food at its best …or maybe not. Most people forgo making the roux and buy the instant version which is cheap and cheerful until you read the ingredients:
• WHEAT FLOUR
• EDIBLE OILS (PALM OIL (SOY)
• CANOLA OIL
• SALT
• SUGAR
• CURRY POWDER
• SPICES
• CARAMEL COLOR
• MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE
• MALIC ACID
• DISODIUM GUANYLATE
• DISODIUM INOSINATE
This is what my son was eating when I picked him up from his grandma’s house. He barely looked up at me when I walked in and it wasn’t him being rude; he was just up to his ears in this steaming bowl of curry and didn’t see me… Could I blame him? No way, it smelled terrific! But MSG is serious business. Growing up, it was right alongside the salt and black pepper. My mom used to put spoonfuls in her kimchi but now she knows better. Chinese restaurants have been boasting, NO MSG! for a long time now because the long list of horrors associated with it has been comprehensively documented.
In this lifestyle of eating wholesome, unprocessed natural foods, we pick and choose our battles. It is not often he goes to his grandma’s and when he does, he eats fairly well but there is the occasional meal that is processed and packaged; instant ramen noodles still have a place in my mom’s home. So I allowed him to finish his bowl but I vowed to find a better alternative. So here is my version and it is uncannily indistinguishable from the “real” thing. Next time we visit my mom, I’m bringing extra!
It’s important to use really good strong curry powder that isn’t mainly turmeric like British curry powders. You will know if it does if the powder is more yellow than brown. To make a curry spicy, you can use garam masala which is available in Indian or most specialty supermarkets. Serve the curry over cauliflower rice (florets pulsed in a food processor). You can heat up the rice by putting it in a double boiler (stainless steel bowl over a pot of boiling water). The curry is also delicious with a big bowl of steamed broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini and carrots garnished with a handful of roughly chopped cilantro
Japanese Curry
• 1 medium kabocha squash
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 knob of ginger
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 tbs curry powder
Place the whole kabocha squash in a large pot of boiling water for 5 minutes, rotating it if not fully immersed. Remove from pot and and let sit until cool enough to handle. Use a vegetable peeler to remove only the top green layer of skin. Cut in half and remove seeds and cut the squash into large equal pieces. Put the squash and the rest of ingredients in a large pot adding enough water to cover the vegetables. Simmer till the carrots are soft. Blend all ingredients in a food processor adding the cooking water as needed. You want a nice puree, not too thick and not too thin. Add the curry powder and season to taste.
