Homemade Japanese Beef Curry (Kare Raisu)

Method20 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Add 3½ tsp Japanese style curry powder and 2½ tsp ground cumin to a dry pan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until fragrant and slightly darker, without burning. Set the toasted spices aside.

   Uses 3½ tsp Japanese style curry powder · 2½ tsp ground cumin

   
2. 2

   Step 2: In a separate pan over medium heat, partly melt 1 tbsp beef suet. Add the finely minced 3 garlic cloves and 15 g ginger and lightly fry until fragrant.

   Uses 1 tbsp beef suet (fat) · 3 cloves garlic (finely minced) · 15 g ginger root (finely minced)

   
3. 3

   Step 3: Add the thinly sliced 200 g onion to the pan from step 2. Fry over medium heat until golden and translucent.

   Uses Suet, garlic and ginger in the pan · 200 g onion (thinly sliced)

   
4. 4

   Step 4: Reduce the onion pan from step 3 to medium-low heat and continue frying until the onions are deeply caramelized, about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent burning. If they start to stick, add small amounts from the listed 50 ml water as needed.

   Caramelize onions · 30 minUses Onion, suet and aromatics in the pan · Small additions from the available 50 ml water, only if needed

   
5. 5

   Step 5: When the onions are dark brown, remove any remaining unmelted piece of beef suet, leaving the rendered fat in the pan. Mix 3 tbsp all-purpose flour into the caramelized onions and retained pan fat.

   Uses Caramelized onions and rendered pan fat after removing remaining suet pieces · 3 tbsp all-purpose flour

   
6. 6

   Step 6: Mix the toasted curry powder and cumin from step 1 thoroughly into the onion-flour paste from step 5.

   Uses Toasted curry powder and cumin · Caramelized onion and flour paste

   
7. 7

   Step 7: Add a small amount from the 900 ml ready liquid beef bouillon to the spice paste from step 6. Mix vigorously to loosen it.

   Uses Spiced onion-flour paste · A small initial draw from the 900 ml ready beef bouillon

   
8. 8

   Step 8: Gradually add the remainder of the same 900 ml beef bouillon to the loosened paste from step 7, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Use a whisk if needed for a smooth mixture.

   Uses Paste loosened with the first bouillon draw · Remaining bouillon from the original 900 ml stock

   
9. 9

   Step 9: Whisk 2 tsp coriander powder, 3 tbsp orange marmalade, ½ tsp ground cloves, 1 tsp cardamom powder and 2 tsp ginger powder into the mixture from step 8.

   Uses Smooth onion-spice and bouillon mixture · 2 tsp coriander powder · 3 tbsp orange marmalade · ½ tsp ground cloves · 1 tsp cardamom powder · 2 tsp ginger powder

   
10. 10

    Step 10: Add 1 bay leaf to the mixture from step 9. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally and removing foam around the edges, until reduced to a thick paste. Remove the bay leaf when finished.

    Reduce the curry roux · 120 minUses Seasoned roux mixture · 1 bay leaf

    
11. 11

    Step 11: Transfer the thick roux from step 10 to a shallow container. Let the initial steam subside and refrigerate promptly; do not leave it at room temperature to cool for a prolonged period.

    Uses Thick cooked roux after skimming and removing the bay leaf

    
12. 12

    Step 12: Cover and keep the roux from step 11 refrigerated until ready to finish the curry. If convenient, let it rest overnight in the refrigerator for a deeper flavor.

    Uses Cooked roux in its shallow container

    
13. 13

    Step 13: When ready to finish the curry, prepare the carrots and potatoes and have the brewed tea and seasonings ready. Cut the 250 g beef shoulder into bite-size pieces and season with 1 pinch salt and 1 pinch black pepper.

    Uses 250 g beef shoulder (bitesize pieces) · 1 pinch salt for seasoning the beef · 1 pinch black pepper for seasoning the beef

    
14. 14

    Step 14: Melt 1 tbsp butter in a pot over medium heat. Add the seasoned beef from step 13 and fry until its surfaces are browned; the beef finishes cooking during the later simmer.

    Uses 1 tbsp butter · Seasoned bite-size beef

    
15. 15

    Step 15: Add the peeled, roughly cut 150 g carrot and 200 g potato, plus 1 tbsp Japanese soy sauce, to the beef pot from step 14. Stir over the heat for 1–2 minutes, checking from 1 minute.

    Stir beef and vegetables · 1 minUses Browning beef and butter in the pot · 150 g carrot (peeled and roughly cut) · 200 g potato (peeled and roughly cut) · 1 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu)

    
16. 16

    Step 16: Add all the prepared roux from step 12 to the beef and vegetables from step 15. Gradually pour in the 600 ml ready brewed black tea, mixing thoroughly to break up and dissolve the roux.

    Uses Complete prepared curry roux · Beef, vegetables and soy sauce in the pot · 600 ml black tea

    
17. 17

    Step 17: Stir ½ tbsp honey, ½ tbsp apple jam, ½ tbsp Worcestershire sauce, ½ tsp garam masala, 1 tsp instant coffee powder, ½ tsp nutmeg powder and 2 tbsp red wine into the curry from step 16. Add the optional chili powder to taste only if you want extra heat.

    Uses Curry combined with the brewed tea · ½ tbsp honey · ½ tbsp apple jam · ½ tbsp Worcestershire sauce · ½ tsp garam masala · 1 tsp instant coffee powder · ½ tsp nutmeg powder · 2 tbsp red wine

    
18. 18

    Step 18: Bring the curry from step 17 to a simmer and cook for about 10–20 minutes, checking from 10 minutes. Continue as needed until the carrots and potatoes are tender, the curry has your desired thickness and the beef is cooked through, reaching at least 63 °C at its center.

    Check the finished curry · 10 minUses Seasoned beef-and-vegetable curry

    
19. 19

    Step 19: Take the finished curry from step 18 off the heat and rest for at least 3 minutes after the beef has reached 63 °C.

    Rest the fully cooked curry · 3 minUses Fully cooked curry after the temperature check

20. 20

    Step 20: Divide the ready cooked Japanese rice into five serving portions. Serve the rested curry from step 19 over the rice with the optional 2 tbsp fukujinzuke pickles.

    Uses Complete rested curry · 5 portions cooked Japanese short-grain rice · 2 tbsp fukujinzuke pickles (optional)