Hearty Japanese-Style Beef Curry Rice

A comforting, soul-warming Japanese-style beef curry, featuring tender beef chunks, caramelized onions, and root vegetables in a rich, velvety spiced sauce.

Ingredients

• 500 g beef chuck or brisket
• 2 carrots
• 2 potatoes
• 1 red onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1-inch ginger
• 100 g Japanese curry blocks
• 30 ml cooking wine
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 50 ml milk
• to taste scallions
• to taste vegetable oil

Instructions

1. 1Prepare the beef

   

   Begin by cutting the beef into uniform, bite-sized chunks on a clean cutting board.

   Tip: Pat the beef dry with a paper towel before cutting to ensure a cleaner, more precise cut.
2. 2Blanch the beef

   

   Place the beef chunks into a pot of water along with ginger, scallions, and a splash of cooking wine. Bring to a boil and cook briefly to help remove any gaminess.

   Tip: Skim off any foam that rises to the surface during boiling to keep the broth clean.
3. 3Sauté the garlic

   

   Heat oil in a pan and add the sliced garlic, stir-frying until it becomes fragrant.

   Tip: Watch the heat carefully; garlic burns quickly and can turn bitter.
4. 4Add the red onions

   

   Add the chopped red onions to the pan with the garlic and stir-fry until they soften.

   Tip: Red onions provide a nice sweetness that balances the savory beef and spicy curry.
5. 5Combine beef and onions

   

   Add the previously blanched beef chunks into the pan with the softened red onions and stir to combine.

   Tip: Ensure the beef is well-coated with the aromatics for better flavor infusion.
6. 6Add tomatoes

   

   Stir in the diced tomatoes to the beef and onion mixture. Continue to stir-fry until the tomatoes begin to release their juices.

   Tip: Cooking the tomatoes until they soften helps create a richer base for the curry sauce.
7. 7Add cooking wine

   

   Once the tomatoes have released their juices, add a splash of cooking wine to the pan. This helps to deglaze the pan and adds a depth of flavor to the beef and vegetable mixture.

   Tip: Be careful when pouring the wine as it may splatter; add it slowly near the edges of the pan.
8. 8Season with soy sauce

   

   Add a splash of soy sauce to the pan after the cooking wine. Stir everything together to ensure the beef and vegetables are evenly coated and seasoned.

   Tip: Soy sauce adds both color and savory umami to the curry base.
9. 9Add hot water

   

   Pour hot water from a kettle into the pan, covering the ingredients to create the broth. Turn the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil.

   Tip: Using hot water keeps the cooking temperature consistent and speeds up the boiling process.
10. 10Add carrots

    

    Carefully add the chopped carrots into the boiling broth. Cover the pan and let it simmer to allow the carrots to soften.

    Tip: Cutting the carrots into uniform pieces helps them cook evenly.
11. 11Add potatoes

    

    Add the diced potatoes to the simmering liquid alongside the carrots. Continue to simmer until the potatoes and carrots are tender.

    Tip: Simmering with a lid helps cook the root vegetables thoroughly without losing too much liquid.
12. 12Incorporate curry blocks

    

    Add the spicy curry blocks into the simmering stew. Stir gently on low heat until the blocks have completely melted and the sauce has thickened.

    Tip: Break the curry blocks into smaller pieces to help them melt faster and more evenly.
13. 13Simmer the curry

    

    Continue to simmer the curry on low heat after adding the curry blocks. Stir occasionally to ensure the curry blocks completely melt into the sauce and thicken it into a rich, flavorful consistency.

    Tip: Keep the heat low so the curry doesnt scorch at the bottom of the pan while it thickens.
14. 14Add a splash of milk

    

    Once the curry has thickened, pour a splash of milk into the pan. Stir gently to incorporate it into the sauce, which adds a creamy richness to the final dish.

    Tip: Adding milk at the very end helps balance the heat of the curry and makes the sauce smoother.

Storage & Reheating

Burn It Off

Frequently Asked Questions