Japanese-style Curry
Extract from: Japanese Food Made Easy by Aya Nishimura is published by Murdoch Books, £14.99. It is available to buy at bookshops and online retailers.
- Serves4
- Preparation Time30 mins
- Cooking Time50 mins
Ingredients
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 5 garlic cloves, grated
- 30 g (1 oz) fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 4 skinless chicken thigh fillets, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 small apples, peeled and grated
- 2 carrots, coarsely grated
- 1 quantity of Steamed Rice
- 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
- 1/4 cup (35 g) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 3 tablespoons mild curry powder
- 200 g (7 oz) tinned chopped tomatoes
- 1.2 litres (42 fl oz) good-quality chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons tomato sauce (ketchup)
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1½ teaspoons honey
- 3 tablespoons Soy Sauce
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- cornichons, tiny pickled onions and a soft-boiled egg, to serve, optional
Method
Heat the oil in a large, deep saucepan over low heat. Add the onion, garlic and ginger and cook until it turns a deep golden colour and begins to caramelise. Increase the heat to medium and stir-fry the vegetables until the onion is golden.
Reduce the heat, add the chicken and fry for 3 minutes. Add the butter and flour and stir for 2 minutes. Add the curry powder, then increase the heat and cook until aromatic. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes.
Add 1 cup (250 ml) of the stock and mix well. Pour in the rest of the stock, then add the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, honey, soy sauce, apple and carrot. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Add the salt, to taste.
Scoop the rice into bowls and spoon the curry on top. Serve with the cornichons, pickled onions and a soft-boiled egg, if using.
