Kare Raisu (Homemade Japanese Curry Rice) Recipe

• servings: 6 servings
• active time: 5 minutes
• total time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients

2 tablespoons (7g) whole coriander seeds, toasted in a dry skillet until fragrant

1 tablespoon (6g) whole cumin seeds, toasted in a dry skillet until fragrant

1 tablespoon (6g) whole fenugreek seeds, toasted in a dry skillet until fragrant

2 1/2 teaspoons (6g) cardamom seeds, toasted in a dry skillet until fragrant (see note)

2 teaspoons (5g) whole black peppercorns, toasted in a dry skillet until fragrant

1/2 teaspoon (2g) fennel seeds, toasted in a dry skillet until fragrant

1 (2-inch) piece cinnamon (3g)

3 cloves

1/2 of a star anise pod

1 or 2 strips (1g) dehydrated orange peel (optional; see note)

2 tablespoons (16g) ground turmeric

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon (1 to 2g) chile powder, depending on the intensity of your chile powder and how spicy you want the curry

Pinch grated fresh nutmeg

1 pound (450g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil, plus more as needed

1 large yellow onion (1 pound; 450g), diced

8 ounces carrots (225g; about 3 medium), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 quart (950ml) homemade chicken stock or store-bought low-sodium broth

1 quart (950ml) homemade or instant dashi (see note)

1 pound (450g) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

Half of one 6-ounce apple, peeled, cored, and finely grated, minced, or puréed

1/2 cup unsalted butter (4 ounces; 110g)

1/2 cup all-purpose flour (2 ounces; 55g)

1 (2-inch) piece peeled fresh ginger, finely grated

Curry Spice Blend

1 cup frozen peas (5.5 ounces; 160g), if desired

Warm short-grain rice, for serving

Pickled ginger and/or rakkyo (pickled Japanese scallion), for serving

Directions

For the Curry Spice Blend: In a spice grinder, combine coriander, cumin, fenugreek, cardamom, black peppercorns, fennel, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, and orange peel (if using) and grind to a fine powder. Empty into a small bowl and combine with turmeric, chili powder, and nutmeg, then set aside.

For the Stew: Season chicken all over with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chicken and cook, turning, until browned on both sides, about 6 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.

Add onion to Dutch oven, lower heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring, until golden, about 10 minutes. Add carrots and cook for 4 minutes. Add chicken stock and dashi and bring to a simmer over high heat; reduce heat to maintain a simmer.

Cut up chicken into bite-size pieces and add back to pot, along with any accumulated juices. Add potatoes and apple and cook at a gentle simmer until potatoes are tender and carrots can easily be pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat until foaming. Stir in flour and cook, stirring, until roux is a deep caramel brown, about 20 minutes. Stir in ginger and 3 tablespoons (25g) curry spice blend and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Scrape roux into stew pot, stir well, and simmer until broth has thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in peas, if using, and cook until heated through.

Serve curry with cooked rice and pickled ginger and/or rakkyo.

Notes

If you have cardamom pods, toast the pods first, then crack them to remove the seeds.

You can dry orange peels on a baking sheet in an oven set to its lowest setting; check them frequently, and remove when dehydrated.

If you don't have dashi, you can use the same volume of additional chicken stock to replace it.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: Serves 6
• Calories: 595 kcal
• Total Fat: 30 g
• Saturated Fat: 13 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
• Cholesterol: 134 mg
• Sodium: 818 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 55 g
• Dietary Fiber: 10 g
• Total Sugars: 8 g
• Protein: 32 g