Japanese CoCo Ichibanaya-Style Curry

Method13 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Peel and thinly slice the 2 large onions (about 600 g before trimming). Weigh and keep THREE separate sliced portions: 300 g for caramelizing in stage 3, 120 g for frying in stage 2 and 30 g for the curry pot in stage 6. Reserve any trimmed or sliced onion beyond these measured portions for another use. This recipe follows the full stovetop caramelizing and freshly fried-onion route.

   Uses 2 large onions (about 600 g before trimming): weigh 300 g for caramelizing, 120 g for frying and 30 g for the curry pot; reserve any excess for another use

2. 2

   Step 2: Heat a roughly 1-inch depth of neutral frying oil in a suitable small pot over high heat. Fry ONLY the separately measured 120 g sliced-onion portion from stage 1 until slightly past golden brown, watching closely to avoid burning. Immediately lift out and set aside the complete fried-onion batch for stage 7. Reserve the actual frying oil: stage 6 uses a measured 1 tablespoon of it, not the whole bath.

   Uses Separately measured 120 g sliced-onion portion for frying · Neutral frying oil for an approximately 1-inch-deep onion bath; reserve its actual used oil for a 1-tablespoon draw

3. 3

   Step 3: Melt ONLY 2 tablespoons of the 6-tablespoon vegan cultured butter stock in a medium heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the separately measured 300 g sliced-onion portion from stage 1 and stir until softened and translucent. Lower to medium-low heat and cook for about 35–45 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until caramelized and jammy. Add a small splash of additional water only if needed to stop the onions catching. Keep the remaining 4 tablespoons butter for stage 10.

   Caramelize only 300 g onions: 35–45 minutes · 40 minUses 2 tablespoons vegan butter from the divided 6-tablespoon stock · Separately measured 300 g sliced-onion portion for caramelizing · Additional water as needed for small deglazing splashes or final thinning; not part of the measured 6½-cup sauce stock

4. 4

   Step 4: Add all 60 g grated carrot and 120 g grated apple to the complete caramelized-onion mixture from stage 3. Cook another 3–5 minutes, then transfer the whole onion-carrot-apple mixture to a bowl and reserve it. Add ONLY 1 cup of the measured sauce water to the now-empty pan, scrape up the browned bits and reserve this complete 1-cup deglazing liquid separately. Both prepared outputs go into stage 7.

   Carrot and apple with onions: 3–5 minutes · 4 minUses Complete caramelized 300 g onion and 2-tablespoon butter mixture · 60 g grated carrot (1 small carrot) · 120 g grated apple (½ large apple) · 1 cup water for deglazing, from the measured 6½-cup sauce-water stock

5. 5

   Step 5: Char the one 30 g red-bell-pepper portion over a gas flame until its outside is charred. Slice it and remove any seeds, then reserve this actual roasted portion for stage 7. The whole pepper and unrelated white-pepper seasoning are not added here.

   Uses 30 g red bell pepper (about ⅓ pepper), to char and deseed

6. 6

   Step 6: Put ONLY 1 tablespoon of the actual reserved onion-frying oil from stage 2 into a large pot. Add all 100 g selected plant-based bacon OR beef and ONLY the separately measured 30 g sliced-onion portion from stage 1. Fry for 3–5 minutes and follow the selected plant-protein product’s directions until cooked.

   Plant protein and 30 g onions: 3–5 minutes · 4 minUses 1 tablespoon drawn from the actual reserved frying oil; its total remaining yield is unspecified · 100 g plant-based bacon OR beef, chosen vegan product · Separately measured 30 g sliced-onion portion for the curry pot

7. 7

   Step 7: To the actual cooked plant-protein and 30 g onion pot from stage 6, add ALL reserved 1-cup deglazing liquid from stage 4 and ONLY 4 more cups of the measured sauce water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add all 1 tablespoon vegan chicken bouillon, the complete reserved caramelized onion-carrot-apple mixture from stage 4, the complete fried-onion batch from stage 2 and the complete roasted-pepper portion from stage 5. Add all 1 tablespoon peanut butter, 2 tablespoons mango OR mixed-fruit chutney and 2 teaspoons S&B curry powder. Carefully blend the actual soup smooth with an immersion blender in the pot.

   Uses Complete cooked plant-protein and 30 g onion pot · Complete reserved 1-cup deglazing liquid · 4 cups water from the measured 6½-cup sauce-water stock · 1 tbsp vegan chicken boullion · Complete reserved caramelized onion-carrot-apple mixture · Complete freshly fried-onion batch · Complete reserved roasted red-pepper portion · 1 tbsp peanut butter

8. 8

   Step 8: OPTIONAL: for a smoother sauce, strain the complete blended curry mixture from stage 7 through a fine-mesh sieve into a pot. Otherwise keep that complete unstrained mixture. Continue with only the chosen actual sauce in stage 9.

   Uses Complete blended curry-sauce mixture

9. 9

   Step 9: Cut all 200 g selected VEGAN Japanese curry roux cubes into small pieces. Put them in a ladle, scoop some of the actual hot curry sauce from stage 8 into it and dissolve the roux using chopsticks, then stir it back through the complete sauce. If stage 8 was skipped, use the complete unstrained sauce from stage 7 instead; do not combine two sauce batches.

   Uses 200 g vegan Japanese curry roux cubes (1 complete pack) · Complete strained curry-sauce batch, if stage 8 was performed · Complete unstrained curry-sauce batch ONLY if stage 8 was skipped

10. 10

    Step 10: To the actual roux-thickened sauce from stage 9, add ONLY the remaining 4 tablespoons vegan cultured butter, all 4 teaspoons Bull Dog Worcestershire sauce, 2 teaspoons Bull Dog Fruit & Vegetable Sauce, 2 teaspoons red miso paste, 1 tablespoon instant coffee and ONLY ½ tablespoon of the divided rice vinegar. Add the 1 teaspoon salt to taste, ⅛–¼ teaspoon white pepper and ⅛–¼ teaspoon togarashi OR cayenne to preference. Simmer gently over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not add another dose of peanut butter, roasted pepper or curry powder.

    Finished seasoned curry sauce: simmer 5 minutes · 5 minUses Complete actual curry sauce with dissolved 200 g vegan roux · Remaining 4 tablespoons vegan butter from the divided 6-tablespoon stock · 4 teaspoons Bull Dog Worcestershire sauce, as used in the author’s vegan sauce · 2 teaspoons Bull Dog Fruit & Vegetable Sauce · 2 teaspoons red miso paste · 1 tablespoon instant coffee · First ½ tablespoon rice vinegar · 1 tsp salt, to taste

11. 11

    Step 11: Remove the complete finished curry sauce from stage 10 from the heat. Divide it into suitable shallow containers and refrigerate promptly, within 2 hours of cooking, at 4°C or colder. Keep it refrigerated for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight, to let the flavours develop. This refrigerator rest is required in this route; it is additional to the published active cooking guide.

    Refrigerated sauce: at least 3 hours · 180 minUses Complete finished curry sauce for refrigerated flavour development

12. 12

    Step 12: Return the complete chilled curry sauce from stage 11 to a pot over medium heat. Add ONLY the remaining 1½ cups measured sauce water, the remaining ½ tablespoon rice vinegar and optional all 4 teaspoons dark soy sauce. Stir and reheat the actual sauce throughout to at least 74°C. Taste; add further water only as needed to thin it to preference. No raw curry cubes or another curry-powder dose enter this reheating stage.

    Uses Complete chilled finished curry sauce · Remaining 1½ cups measured sauce water · Remaining ½ tablespoon rice vinegar · 4 tsp dark soy sauce, optional · Additional water as needed for small deglazing splashes or final thinning; not part of the measured 6½-cup sauce stock

13. 13

    Step 13: Serve the complete hot curry sauce from stage 12 as 4 sauce portions. For a meal, use separately READY cooked rice and any chosen ready vegan tofu katsu, vegan karaage, natto, vegan korokke, fried or sautéed vegetables or vegan vegetable tempura. These are optional alternatives, with quantities to preference; this sauce recipe does not prepare every topping. Add ready fukushinzuke and rakkyo pickled scallion bulbs if desired.

    Uses Complete reheated Japanese curry sauce · Ready vegan tofu katsu for optional serving, quantity to preference; prepare separately · Ready vegan karaage for optional serving, quantity to preference; prepare separately · Ready natto for optional serving, quantity to preference; prepare separately · Ready vegan korokke for optional serving, quantity to preference; prepare separately · Ready fried or sautéed vegetables for optional serving, quantity to preference; prepare separately · Ready vegan vegetable tempura for optional serving, quantity to preference; prepare separately · Ready cooked rice for optional serving, quantity to preference; prepare separately