Japanese Curry Roux and S&B Curry Culture

Ingredients

• 600 g boneless chicken thighs, beef chuck, or pork shoulder, cut into 3–4 cm pieces
• 3 large onions, half grated to paste, half sliced thin
• 2 medium carrots, cut into large chunks
• 3 medium waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks; held in cold water until needed
• 100 g proprietary curry roux blocks, S&B Golden Curry, Vermont Curry, or Java Curry — roughly 4–5 standard blocks
• 800 ml water or light chicken stock
• 1 medium apple, peeled and grated or pureed
• 1 tbsp honey
• 5–10 g dark chocolate, 70% cocoa minimum; added in last 10 minutes
• 2 tbsp neutral oil, for browning and caramelising
• To serve
• 800 g Japanese short-grain white rice, cooked

Method

1. 1
   Heat the oil in a wide, heavy pot over medium-low heat. Add the grated onion paste first; it will spit and reduce quickly. Add the sliced onions. Cook, stirring regularly, for 30–45 minutes, reducing heat as needed to prevent burning. The onions are ready when they are a deep amber-brown, fully collapsed, and smell of concentrated sweetness — no trace of raw pungency should remain.
2. 2
   Raise the heat to medium-high. Add the meat in a single layer and brown on all sides — do not crowd the pan. The surface should develop a dark, sealed crust with clear Maillard colour before the meat is turned.
3. 3
   Add the carrot chunks and stir to coat. Pour in the water or stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Skim any foam that rises. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, until the carrot begins to yield at its edges when pressed with a spoon.
4. 4
   Add the drained potato chunks. Continue simmering for 12–15 minutes only, until a skewer meets moderate resistance at the centre — the potato must be cooked through but intact; it should not begin to cloud the broth or crumble at the edges.
5. 5
   Remove the pot fully from the heat. Allow the liquid to cease bubbling. Break the roux blocks into the still liquid and stir steadily until each piece has fully dissolved — the sauce will thicken noticeably within 2–3 minutes of stirring. No lumps should remain visible; the surface should be uniformly dark and glossy.
6. 6
   Return the pot to low heat. Stir in the grated apple and honey. Add the dark chocolate. Simmer gently for a further 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce is done when it coats the back of a spoon heavily and the raw edge of apple sweetness has rounded into the background — the finish should be mild, warming, and faintly fruity.
7. 7
   Remove from heat, cool, and refrigerate overnight. Reheat gently the following day, stirring from the base of the pot. The sauce will have thickened further and darkened; the spice and vegetable elements will have integrated fully. Serve over Japanese short-grain rice.