Hearty Japanese Curry Beef Rice (Kare Raisu)

A comforting, soul-warming classic. This Japanese curry features tender beef, soft carrots, and potatoes simmered in a rich, savory, and thick roux-based sauce.

Ingredients

• 500 g beef chuck, cut into chunks
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 carrots, cut into chunks
• 2 potatoes, cut into chunks
• 100 g Japanese curry cubes
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 cup frozen tomatoes
• 4 cups water, boiling
• 4 servings steamed white rice

Instructions

1. 1Heat the pan

   

   Place a pot on the stove and heat it up. Add a piece of butter and wait for it to melt completely, ensuring the bottom of the pan is well-coated.

   Tip: Use medium heat to prevent the butter from burning too quickly.
2. 2Sauté aromatics

   

   Add the onions and garlic to the melted butter. Sauté them while stirring with chopsticks for about 6 minutes until the onions turn a nice golden brown.

   Tip: Keep stirring consistently so the garlic does not brown too fast or burn.
3. 3Brown the beef

   

   Add the pre-blanched beef pieces into the pan with the sautéed onions and garlic. Stir-fry everything together for a few minutes to incorporate the flavors.

   Tip: Ensure the beef is evenly coated with the onion and garlic mixture.
4. 4Season with soy sauce

   

   Pour a dash of light soy sauce over the beef mixture in the pan. Stir well to ensure the sauce is evenly distributed.

   Tip: Add the soy sauce gradually to control the saltiness level.
5. 5Add tomatoes

   

   Add the frozen tomato chunks into the pan. Stir them into the beef mixture to begin releasing their juices.

   Tip: Frozen tomatoes will soften quickly as they hit the heat.
6. 6Simmer the stew

   

   Pour boiling water into the pot until all the beef and ingredients are fully covered. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour.

   Tip: Using boiling water helps maintain a consistent cooking temperature.
7. 7Add vegetables

   

   Add the prepared carrot and potato chunks to the simmering beef stew. Cover the pot again and continue cooking over low heat for 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender.

   Tip: Cut the carrots and potatoes into uniform, bite-sized pieces to ensure they cook through evenly.
8. 8Add curry cubes

   

   Turn off the heat and add the curry cubes to the stew. Stir well until the cubes are fully melted and incorporated into the sauce.

   Tip: Turning off the heat before adding the cubes helps prevent the sauce from thickening too quickly or burning at the bottom.
9. 9Simmer the curry

   

   Turn the heat back on to low and continue stirring the mixture for another 5 minutes to ensure the curry is smooth and to prevent sticking. Once finished, serve the stew over hot steamed rice.

   Tip: Stirring constantly is important at this stage to achieve a silky consistency and prevent the curry from scorching.

Storage & Reheating

Burn It Off

Frequently Asked Questions