Japan, via British India. Curry was introduced to Japan by the British Royal Navy in the late 19th century (the British had adopted curry from India). The Japanese navy adopted curry as a Friday meal tradition, and it evolved into the distinctively mild, sweet Japanese style. Katsu curry combining the crumbed cutlet with the curry sauce was popularised by Shinjuku Katsuya in the 1980s.
Katsu curry is one of Japan's great comfort dishes: a breaded and fried pork or chicken cutlet, sliced and placed on Japanese rice, drenched in a thick, mild, sweet-spiced Japanese curry sauce. The curry is not Indian — it is a Japanese interpretation of a British interpretation of an Indian preparation, arriving through the Victorian-era colonial British navy. It is mild, sweet, and deeply umami-forward from the roux.
Cold Sapporo Classic (the Hokkaido version of the Japanese lager, slightly fuller-bodied) — the lager's slight sweetness mirrors the curry's mild sweetness. Or hojicha (roasted green tea) for a non-alcoholic option — the roasted character of hojicha complements the spiced curry.
{"Katsu (cutlet): pork loin or chicken breast, pounded to 1cm thickness, triple-crumbed in flour, beaten egg, and Japanese panko breadcrumbs — fried at 180C until deeply golden","The curry roux: equal weight butter and curry powder (S&B brand) cooked together with flour for 2 minutes — this cooks out the raw starch and blooms the spices. The roux is the thickening agent","Stock: a dashi-based stock, or chicken stock, with grated apple and a tablespoon of ketchup — the apple provides sweetness and the ketchup provides acidity that is characteristic of Japanese curry","Aromatic base: onion, carrot, and garlic sweated until completely soft, then the stock and roux added, simmered for 20 minutes until the sauce coats the back of a spoon","Japanese rice: short-grain (Koshihikari) cooked in a rice cooker to the slightly sticky, cohesive texture that supports the curry sauce","Assembly: rice moulded into an oval on one side of the plate, sliced katsu fanned across the plate, curry sauce poured alongside the katsu (not over the crumb — the crumb must remain crisp)"}
The moment where katsu curry lives or dies is the crumb — the panko coating must be pressed firmly into the meat before frying, not dusted lightly. Cup the crumbed cutlet in both hands and press all surfaces firmly so the panko is compressed and adhering. This prevents the crumb from lifting and separating during the fry.
{"Pouring curry over the crumb: the crisp panko coating softens immediately under hot liquid — pour the curry to the side","Under-browning the katsu: a pale katsu has no flavour. The panko should be a deep, even amber","Skimping on the roux: the roux is what gives Japanese curry its characteristic thick, almost glossy body. Without sufficient roux, the curry is thin and watery"}