Japanese Curry Brick Food

JAPANESE CURRY BRICK

Steps:

• In a large skillet, toast cinnamon, bay leaf, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, cloves and cardamom pods over medium heat, stirring until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Be careful not to burn the spices. Transfer the toasted ingredients to a spice grinder.
• Add the mushroom, kombu and peppercorns to the spice grinder, and grind at the highest speed for 30 seconds. Shake the grinder a couple of times as you blend to make sure the cinnamon stick is pulverized. (You can also grind the spices in batches, if necessary.) Transfer the pulverized spices to a small bowl. Add the orange zest, turmeric, ginger, sea salt, paprika and cayenne pepper.
• To make the roux, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. When the butter is nearly melted, lower the heat to medium-low. Gradually whisk in the flour, and cook, stirring constantly, until the roux turns light brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Be careful not to burn the roux. Turn off the heat, add the spice mix and stir until well combined.
• Divide the mixture among three mini aluminum loaf pans, adding about 3/4 cup per loaf pan, or transfer the entire mixture to a parchment-lined quarter-size sheet tray. Let cool for a few minutes at room temperature, then transfer to the fridge so the bricks can solidify. Once firm, unmold, cut each brick into 9 small curry brick cubes (or, if using a sheet tray, cut the mixture into 27 pieces total) and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator for about a month or in the freezer for 3 months.

JAPANESE CURRY RICE

Steps:

• If making the garam masala combined 1 tsp ground cloves, 1 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, and 1 tsp black pepper in a small bowl. Place in an air tight container and put aside.(Note: You will not be using all of this in the recipe.).
• Start by cutting your choice of meat, the potatoes, carrots, and onion (or celery) into bite-sized pieces.
• Heat a deep pan on medium.
• Add the cooking oil and the meat.
• Saute until the meat is fully cooked.
• Add vegetables and saute together.
• Add the 1 cup of water to the pan and bring to a boil.
• Turn the heat down to low and cook for 40-50 minutes.
• In a separate pan heat the 3 cups of water and add the two types of bouillon to make soup.
• Slice the remaining two onions very thinly. (it will be better for the recipe this way).
• Heat butter in another pan and saute onion slices until they are brown for 15-20 minutes.
• Add the garlic and the ginger to the pan and saute well.
• Add flour and curry powder and saute over low heat.
• Slowly pour the soup into the pan, little by little, stirring quickly.
• Simmer the curry roux until thickened. (Resist the urge to add more flour. It may seem a little thinner than desired, but it will thicken once added to the meat and vegetables.).
• Once the curry roux is thickened, add the garam masala. (Try to sprinkle it in, instead of dumping the lot of it inches If there are clumps, it will take longer to dissolve).
• After the meat and vegetables have been cooking for 40-50 minutes add the curry roux to them. (Do not drain the meat and vegetables first. The water remaining will flavor the curry further).
• Stir and let simmer for ten minutes.
• Sprinkle with salt.
• Serve the curry over Japanese rice.

JAPANESE CURRY

Steps:

• Heat oil in a 6-quart pot over medium-high heat. Add beef and saute until brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add onions and cook until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Add ketchup and Worcestershire sauce. Stir to coat. Add cayenne pepper. Pour in water to cover mixture by 1 or 2 inches. Add carrots and bouillon.
• Simmer, skimming fat off the surface of the broth as needed, for 30 minutes. Add potatoes. Stir in 1 package of curry roux and let dissolve; add remaining curry as needed to achieve desired thickness. Continue simmering until beef and vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes more.

HOMEMADE JAPANESE CURRY

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the beef with salt and pepper. Add half the beef to the pot and cook until browned on at least 2 sides, about 6 minutes total. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining beef, leaving it in the pot after it's browned.
• Add the beef from the plate and any accumulated juices back to the pot and cover with 6 cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and gently simmer, occasionally skimming off any scum and fat, until tender but not falling apart, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Transfer the cooked beef to a plate and set aside. Measure out 4 cups of the broth, leaving any sediment in the pot, and set aside. (If you don't have enough broth, make up the difference with water. If you have extra broth, reserve it for thinning the curry later, if needed.)
• Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onions and a pinch of salt and sweat, stirring occasionally, until just softened, about 6 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring often, for about 1 minute.
• Add the flour and cook, stirring often and breaking up any clumps of onion and flour, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the curry powder, garam masala and cayenne pepper and cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute.
• Slowly whisk in the 4 cups reserved broth and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce. Add the carrots, potatoes and grated apple and simmer, adjusting the heat as needed and stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are almost tender, about 15 minutes.
• Add the cooked beef and any accumulated juices and simmer, stirring often so the curry doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot, until the vegetables are completely tender, about 10 minutes more. Let sit for about 15 minutes for the flavors to meld.
• If the curry looks too thick, thin with a little of the extra broth or water. Add salt and/or more cayenne, if needed.
• Serve in shallow bowls or deep plates alongside the white rice and fukujinzuke or beni shoga.

JAPANESE CURRY WITH SHRIMP

Steps:

• For the curry brick: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. When the butter is nearly melted, turn the heat to low. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the paste turns light brown, about 3 minutes, being careful not to let it burn.
• Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the curry powder. Pour the mixture into a heat-safe mold of your choosing, such as a mini loaf pan or cupcake cup. Use immediately in paste form or smooth the top and place in the freezer to set (at least 20 minutes). Unmold; you can use the brick immediately or refrigerate or freeze it (see Cook's Note).
• For the fukujinzuke: Combine the dried chile, soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar, sake and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, add the daikon, beets, carrot, mushrooms, eggplant and ginger and bring back up to a simmer. Simmer for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat. Let stand for 2 minutes, then strain the vegetables through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, reserving the liquid. Fold in the cucumber.
• Return the liquid to the saucepan and bring it to a simmer again over medium heat. Remove from heat and let cool. Enjoy right away or transfer the pickled vegetables to a glass jar with a lid and pour the liquid over the vegetables. Stir with a spoon. Allow to cool to room temperature then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. The flavor is best if refrigerated a day or two, but it can also be eaten right away.
• For the curry: Shell and devein the shrimp. Rinse and drain the shells and set aside. Make a dashi (broth) by heating 1 tablespoon of oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the shrimp shells, 1 tablespoon minced ginger, 1 tablespoon minced garlic and the bay leaf. Cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes, being careful not to brown the mixture. Add the water and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer until reduced by almost half (you want about 4 1/2 cups strained dashi), 20 to 30 minutes.
• Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve and discard the solids. You will have about 4 1/2 cups of dashi. This can be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated.
• To make the curry, pour the remaining 2 tablespoons oil into a large saucepan or 3 1/2-quart Dutch oven and heat over medium heat. Add the minced yellow onion, tomatoes, remaining 2 tablespoons ginger and remaining 2 tablespoons garlic. Cook until softened and lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add 4 cups of the shrimp dashi and simmer 10 minutes. Add the soy sauce and sake and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook until the liquid is reduced by a third, about 20 minutes.
• Add the curry brick to the pot, reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. The sauce should now have a velvety, thick but pourable consistency. If the sauce is too thick, stir in the remaining 1/2 cup dashi or water.
• Add the deveined, deshelled shrimp and mushrooms to the sauce. Stir to coat and simmer until the shrimp are just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Stir in the chile if using. Season with vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Add the honey if you want the curry to be sweeter.
• Remove from the heat and serve over fresh-cooked rice or udon noodles and garnish with parsley and lemon wedges. Serve with a mound of fukujinzuke on the side.
• Wrap the cinnamon and allspice berries in a kitchen towel, then use a meat mallet to break into smaller pieces. Toast the whole spices by combining the cinnamon pieces, allspice berries pieces, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, mustard seeds, peppercorns, fenugreek seeds, cloves, cardamom and bay leaf in a medium skillet over low heat. Cook until fragrant and the mustard seeds just begin to pop, about 2 minutes. Stir often and be careful not to burn the spices. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
• Place the toasted cooled spices, kombu and shiitake mushroom in a spice grinder or coffee grinder and grind on high for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Shake and tap the grinder a couple of times to ensure all spices are ground. Sift through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Add the ground ginger, turmeric, paprika and cayenne and combine with a fork or a small whisk. Store the curry powder in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

SIMPLE & QUICK JAPANESE CURRY

Steps:

• Chop up the chicken into bite-sized cubes. Tenderloins are a smaller, thinner cut of chicken and are easier to cut up.
• Wash the vegetables. Peel the potatoes, and the carrots if you wish. Slice the potatoes, carrots, and onion into bite-sized pieces as well. Finely dice the garlic.
• Now is a good time to start making the rice. Cook according to directions on the package. A rice cooker is great because it'll keep the rice warm while the curry cooks.
• Put vegetable oil in a deep pan (a pasta pot or dutch-oven-style saucepan works well) and heat over a medium flame. Add chicken, onions, and garlic and sautee in oil until the chicken is lightly browned.
• Add carrots and potatoes, continue to stir in oil for 3-4 minutes.
• Now add the water, enough to cover all the ingredients in the pan (I've never measured it out, but it should be about 3-4 cups).
• Bring water to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to cook for 5-10 minutes, this helps soften the vegetables.
• Remove pan from heat, and add the curry sauce mix. Break the block into four pieces and scatter evenly around the pan, stirring until the blocks have completely melted. The water will thicken dramatically, turning into a brown sauce with a stew-like consistency.
• If you want to keep the curry warm, you can keep it on a very low flame (the lowest setting on your stovetop), just remember to stir it occasionally so it won't stick.
• Serve over rice and enjoy!

AUTHENTIC JAPANESE CURRY

Steps:

• Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large pot. Cook and stir minced onion, garlic, and ginger in the hot oil until lightly browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Add potatoes, carrots, and chopped onions; stir until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Pour water into the pot and bring to a boil. Skim off any residue that comes to the surface. Stir in laurel leaves. Reduce heat to medium and boil until all vegetables are easily pierced with a fork, about 10 minutes.
• Break curry paste into blocks and stir 5 1/4 ounces into the pot. Add tomato, apple, and honey; stir to combine. Cover, reduce heat to low, and let simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in remaining pieces of curry paste if end mixture is too watery. Serve with cooked rice.