Perfect Japanese Chicken Curry at Home, Two Ways

Ingredients

• 242 g unsalted butter (For the curry roux; the source also states 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons.)
• 120 g all-purpose flour (For the curry roux.)
• 58 g Japanese curry powder (For the curry roux.)
• 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper (For the curry roux.)
• 0.5 tsp cardamom powder (For the curry roux.)
• 1 tsp fennel powder (For the curry roux.)
• 1 tsp turmeric powder (For the curry roux.)
• vegetable oil (Just enough to coat the curry pan.)
• 1 large yellow onion (Cut into 1/3-inch slices.)
• salt (To taste, for the curry.)
• 5 cloves garlic (Finely chopped.)
• 1 inch knob fresh ginger (Grated.)
• 1 small Fuji apple (Peeled and coarsely grated.)
• 1.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs (Cut into 1-inch cubes.)
• 22 g honey (For the curry.)
• 15 g ketchup (For the curry.)
• 33 g soy sauce (For the curry.)
• 1.5 L chicken stock (For the curry.)
• 2 large carrots (Cut Rangiri style.)
• 3 Yukon gold potatoes (Peeled and quartered or cut into eighths.)
• shirodashi (Optional splash, for extra flavor.)
• steamed rice (Serve alongside; the source uses a 1:1 rice-to-water ratio in a rice cooker and washes the rice first.)
• 1 lb pork secreto (For the katsu version; the source describes this as a special cut often purchased online.)
• black pepper (To taste, for the pork.)
• 60 g all-purpose flour (For the katsu breading station.)
• 1 egg (Whisked with the water for the katsu breading station.)
• 15 g water (Whisk with the egg for the katsu breading station.)
• 60 g panko breadcrumbs (For the katsu breading station.)
• fry oil (Fill the frying pot about halfway; heat to around 350°F.)
• white distilled vinegar (A splash for the poaching water.)
• 3 eggs (For poaching; poach one at a time.)
• 2 cup curry sauce (Use hot curry sauce, strained free of meat and vegetables, for the hollandaise.)
• 170 g unsalted butter (For the curry hollandaise; add about 2 tablespoons at a time.)
• sourdough bread (Use a hearty slice about 3/4 inch thick.)
• butter (For toasting the bread.)
• spicy chili crisp (Brush generously over the toasted bread.)
• shichimi togarashi (For topping the assembled Benedict.)
• green onion (Thinly sliced, for topping.)

Steps

1. 1

   Make the curry roux. Melt 242 g unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.

2. 2

   Stir in 120 g all-purpose flour. Cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes, until the mixture turns golden.

3. 3

   Stir in the Japanese curry powder, cayenne, cardamom, fennel, and turmeric. Toast for about 30 seconds, until the spices are very fragrant.

4. 4

   Pour the roux into a parchment-lined 8-by-8-inch baking pan, leaving a slight overhang. Spread it evenly and chill in the refrigerator overnight.

5. 5

   The next day, lift out the solidified roux and cut it into 1-inch squares.

6. 6

   Prepare the curry. Add just enough vegetable oil to coat the bottom of a medium pot or large sauté pan. Heat over medium-high heat.

7. 7

   Add the sliced yellow onion without salting it. Cook, stirring often, for 4–5 minutes, until it has developed some char and is softened and nicely colored.

8. 8

   Season the onion with salt to taste. Add the chopped garlic, grated ginger, and grated Fuji apple, then mix well.

9. 9

   Add the cubed chicken thighs. Do not sear them; allow them to gently poach in the curry so they contribute lighter flavors.

10. 10

    Add the honey, ketchup, and soy sauce. Mix to combine.

11. 11

    Add the chicken stock and stir everything together. Bring the mixture to a light simmer.

12. 12

    Add the carrots cut Rangiri style: peel each carrot, cut one slice on a bias, quarter-turn the carrot, cut the same bias, and repeat.

13. 13

    Add the peeled Yukon gold potatoes, quartered or cut into eighths. Add an optional splash of shirodashi if desired.

14. 14

    Simmer over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, or just until the potatoes are cooked through.

15. 15

    Add the curry roux gradually. Hold a deep ladle in the hot curry broth until it fills, place a couple of roux squares in the ladle, and stir with chopsticks or a whisk until dissolved.

16. 16

    Pour the dissolved roux into the pot and repeat the ladle process several times. Once the curry begins to thicken, add more roux squares while stirring gently so the vegetables remain whole. Continue until the curry is flavored and thickened to your liking; nearly all of the roux may be used, but less is also fine.

17. 17

    Season the curry to taste with salt. Serve alongside steamed rice. For the rice, the source uses washed rice and a 1:1 rice-to-water ratio in a rice cooker.

18. 18

    For the katsu version, season the pork secreto with salt and pepper. Set up three bowls: flour, the egg whisked with water until homogeneous, and panko breadcrumbs.

19. 19

    Coat every crevice of the pork with flour and shake off the excess. Dip it into the egg mixture until completely coated, then coat the entire piece with panko breadcrumbs.

20. 20

    Carefully place the breaded pork in a pot filled about halfway with fry oil at around 350°F. Fry for 5 minutes, then drain on paper towels and season lightly with salt while hot.

21. 21

    While the katsu fries, fill a medium pot about halfway with water. Add a splash of white distilled vinegar and salt to taste. Heat over medium-high until boiling, then reduce the heat to medium for a gentler boil.

22. 22

    Create a whirlpool by stirring the water in one direction with a spoon, gradually increasing the speed. Quickly but gently pour one egg into the center of the vortex so the white wraps around the yolk.

23. 23

    Lightly poach the egg for 4 minutes. Remove it with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. Repeat twice more for three poached eggs total.

24. 24

    Make the curry hollandaise. Remove about 2 cups of hot curry sauce from the curry, keeping all meat and vegetables out of it; potatoes can make the sauce gluey in the blender.

25. 25

    Blend the hot curry sauce on high. While blending, add 170 g unsalted butter about 2 tablespoons at a time, allowing each addition to emulsify before adding the next.

26. 26

    Continue until all the butter is incorporated and the sauce is velvety, smooth, and creamy colored. Season with salt as needed, and optionally transfer it to a squeeze bottle.

27. 27

    Toast a hearty 3/4-inch-thick slice of sourdough bread in a pan with butter over medium heat until roasty and toasted.

28. 28

    Brush the toast generously with spicy chili crisp. Top it with the katsu, then arrange the three poached eggs on top.

29. 29

    Drench the assembled Benedict generously with Japanese curry hollandaise. Finish with shichimi togarashi and thinly sliced green onion, then serve.

Notes

The source presents two serving methods: traditional chicken curry with rice and a katsu Benedict variation. The curry roux requires overnight chilling. The exact amount of roux used is to taste; the creator used nearly all of it. Salt, vegetable oil, fry oil, vinegar, bread, butter, chili crisp, shichimi togarashi, and green onion are not given exact quantities. The source does not specify the amount of rice or rice-cooker cooking time.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• Japanese
• East Asian
• chicken
• comfort food
• make-ahead
• katsu
• Benedict