Japanese Curry Kare Development and Philosophy

Ingredients

• 600 g boneless chicken thigh or beef chuck, cut into 3–4 cm pieces
• 400 g onions, halved and thinly sliced
• 250 g waxy potato, peeled, cut into 3 cm chunks
• 200 g carrot, peeled, roll-cut into 3 cm pieces
• 1 medium apple, peeled and finely grated
• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• For the roux
• 40 g unsalted butter
• 40 g plain flour
• 2 tbsp curry powder, S&B brand or garam masala-influenced blend
• 1 tsp garam masala
• Secret depth additions
• 1 square (approx. 5 g) dark chocolate
• 1 tsp instant coffee, dissolved in 1 tbsp hot water
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 1 tbsp honey, alternative sweet balance to apple
• 800 ml water or light chicken stock

Method

1. 1
   Heat the oil in a heavy-based pot over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring regularly, for 45–60 minutes until they are mahogany-brown, deeply sweet, and reduced to roughly one quarter of their original volume. If the onions stall before colouring, raise the heat briefly and scrape the fond from the base of the pot. The colour should be the brown of dark caramel, not golden.
2. 2
   Add the meat to the caramelised onions and sear over medium-high heat until all surfaces are browned and no raw grey remains. Pour in the water or stock, bring to a gentle simmer, and skim off any foam that rises in the first few minutes.
3. 3
   Add the carrot. Simmer, partially covered, for 10 minutes before adding the potato. Continue to simmer for a further 10–12 minutes. The vegetables should yield to the point of a knife but hold their shape without breaking apart.
4. 4
   While the stew simmers, make the roux. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and stir continuously for 3–4 minutes until the paste smells nutty and colours to a pale biscuit. Remove from the heat, stir in the curry powder and garam masala, and cook for a further 30 seconds. The roux is ready when it smells fully toasted and no raw flour note remains.
5. 5
   Ladle two or three spoonfuls of the hot stewing liquid into the roux and whisk until smooth, then pour the loosened roux back into the pot, stirring thoroughly to incorporate. Add the grated apple, soy sauce, mirin, dark chocolate, and dissolved instant coffee. Stir until the chocolate has fully melted and the sauce has thickened to a consistency that coats the back of a spoon heavily.
6. 6
   Taste and adjust: the balance should be sweet-savoury with rounded spice warmth. Add honey if additional sweetness is required. Simmer on the lowest heat for a further 5 minutes, then remove from the heat. Rest the curry, covered, for at least 20 minutes before serving — overnight refrigeration produces a markedly superior result. Reheat gently, thinning with a small amount of water if the sauce has thickened beyond the desired consistency.