A Delectable Blend of Japanese and International Flavors in Every Spoonful!
I was born and raised in Japan, so I grew up with Japanese curry, which is one of the most popular Japanese foods. Typically, we use Japanese curry powder, which is already seasoned and comes packaged like a chocolate bar, readily available at any grocery store in Japan. When I tried curries from other countries, such as Indian curry and Thai curry, I was blown away. They are quite different but equally delicious. It’s fascinating that they use coconut milk and yogurt in their curries. Now, my curry has a mixed flavor, combining Japanese curry with elements from other countries. It’s a simple recipe; I don’t use a lot of spices. You can make the curry with ingredients you already have in the kitchen. I prefer using a Staub Braiser to cook curry because I like how it braises when I need to cook for a long time. The chicken stays moist, and the taste is fantastic. I highly recommend having one if you enjoy cooking. However, if you don’t have one, a frying pan or another pan will work as well. If you’re super busy, you can dump all the ingredients into the slow cooker or Instant Pot in the morning, and by the time you get home, dinner is ready. I have an Instant Pot recipe and blog here if you are interested.
Let’s get started!
Ingredients for 3-4 People:
- Curry powder: 5-6 tablespoons
- Chicken Bouillon: 3-4 teaspoons
- Plain Yogurt: 1/4 cup
- Coconut oil or your preferred oil: 4-5 tablespoons
- Onion: 1/2
- Carrots: 1-2
- Chicken Thighs: 3
- Mushrooms: 8-10
- Coconut Milk: 1 can
- Honey: 1 tablespoon
- Salt: 2-3 teaspoons
- Grated Ginger and Garlic
- Flour: 2 tablespoons
- Water: 2 tablespoons
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Instructions
- Use a fork or knife to make small incisions in the chicken.
- In a bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of curry powder, 1 teaspoon of chicken bouillon, and 1/4 cup of yogurt. Marinate the chicken with the sauce and refrigerate for a few hours.
- Grate ginger and garlic.
- Cut onions, carrots, and mushrooms.
- Heat coconut oil in the braiser over medium heat. Once the braiser is fully heated, lightly salt the onions and sauté. Add 1 tablespoon of curry powder and continue sautéing. When the onions are golden, push them to the side, add about 2 tablespoons of coconut oil, and when the oil is hot, place the marinated chicken skin-side down without moving it for a few minutes until it turns golden.
- Flip the chicken, add grated ginger, garlic, mushrooms, and carrots. Mix everything thoroughly.
- Pour in coconut milk, add 2 tablespoons of curry powder, and 2 teaspoons of chicken bouillon. Stir well, reduce the heat to low, and simmer with the lid slightly open for 40 to 50 minutes.
- To thicken the curry slightly, mix 2 tablespoons of flour with 2 tablespoons of water.
- When the curry has simmered, add honey, stir, turn off the heat, and mix in the flour-water mixture. Let it sit for a while.
- Serve the curry over rice. Enjoy your meal!
Suggestions and Tips for Using a Rice Cooker
Did you know that the flavor can vary based on the cooking technique, even when using the same type of rice? Remarkably, identical rice can undergo a distinct transformation in taste. The sweetness of the rice is brought out even more, and it becomes moist and incredibly delicious. In fact, after tasting it, I was so shocked by how amazingly yummy the plain rice was. It’s like enjoying a bowl of very expensive rice! I was truly taken aback by the incredible flavor.
Having grown up in Japan, I’ve had rice as a staple food. I’ve tried various rice cookers, from inexpensive ones without a keep-warm function to well-known Japanese brands. Currently, I use the Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Rice Pot. Since it can cook only 3 cups of rice, I still use my Zojirushi rice cooker for convenient occasions. Even though the lid of the Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Rice Pot is broken, it doesn’t affect its ability to cook rice, and in fact, it’s even more convenient without the lid.
As for cast iron, I originally bought the STAUB Cast Iron Dutch Oven 5.5-qt Round Cocotte to try making stew, and that’s what made me a big fan of STAUB. Although it’s expensive, considering that it lasts for 20 years, I find it worth the investment. I was thinking of getting the STAUB rice pot, but it can only cook up to 2 cups of rice in the smaller size, so I opted for the Le Creuset. I tried cooking rice with the STAUB Cast Iron Dutch Oven 5.5-qt Round Cocotte, but due to the relationship between the heat distribution and the size of the pot, the heat didn’t evenly reach all parts, resulting in unevenly cooked rice. It seems that there is a specific way to use each pot depending on its size and shape.
