Curry Rice (Kare Raisu)

Yesterday, my husband and I went on our usual walk to our downtown and ended up at the library. I wasn't meaning to borrow another cookbook, but stumbled upon this cookbook called "Let's Cook Japanese Food!" to check if it had a curry recipe that my son could try. It turned out to be a good one and I plan to try some other recipes soon.

A thick, mild or spicy classic based on English-style curry, kare raisu is arguably the best-known in Japan's large repertoire of "borrowed" cuisine. After its introduction in the late 1870's, curry rice became a hugely popular dish in universities and other schools, at lunch counters, and in homes. Tasty, cheap, and filling, it is still the meal of many college kids and office workers a couple of times a week.

The thick, rich sauce is often served over tonkatsu or ebi furai with rice on the side. But it is most typically spooned over rice to soak up every last bit of flavor, and dish is eaten with a spoon. Yogurt and grated apple are my secret flavourings for the curry.

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 tablespoons curry powder
2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
1-1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1-1/2 teaspoons peeled and minced fresh ginger
1 or 2 hot red chilies or 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 pound boneless stewing beef, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoon canola or other neutral oil
1 tomato, halved, seeded, and chopped
2 cups reduced-fat, low-sodium canned chicken broth
2 small russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-1/2 inch chunks
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 small apple, peeled, cored, and grated (optional)
2 tablespoon plain yogurt (optional)
4-5 cups hot cooked rice

In a Dutch oven or other heavy pot, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium-high heat. Add 2-1/2 tablespoons of the curry powder and half of the onion slices, stir well, cover, and cook, uncovering and stirring every 2 minutes or so to prevent scorching, until the onions are medium brown, about 10 minutes. Uncover and stir in the garlic, ginger, chilies to taste, and bay leaf and stir to combine.

While the onions are cooking, spread the flour in a shallow bowl and lightly dust the beef cubes, shaking off any excess. In a large frying pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, working in batches if necessary to avoid crowding, add the beef cubes and brown on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

When the onion-curry mixture is ready, add the browned beef to the pot along with the tomato, mix well, and then pour in the broth. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, rinse the frying pan, return it to medium heat, and add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. When the butter is foaming, add the potato and carrot chunks and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.

After the beef has cooked for 15 minutes, add the potato and carrot chunks, the remaining 2-1/2 tablespoons curry powder, the remaining onion slices, and the salt and stir well. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the potatoes are soft but not disintegrating and the carrot and beef are tender, about 20 minutes longer.

Remove from the heat and stir in the Worcestershire sauce. Add the apple and/or yogurt (if using) and stir well. Divide the rice among 6 bowls and generously spoon the curry sauce over the top. Serve immediately.

Serves 6.