i love japanese curry
am i too late for bearblog carnival? i wanted to post this earlier but between work, life, and a general sense of doom i only got around to writing it now.
this month's carnival is hosted by kami, who asks us "what's your favorite ___ in your niche hobby?"
while i don’t really know if it’s niche, i absolutely love japanese curry—both making and eating it. last year, right around october, i didn’t realise that i had eaten curry for at least one of my meals for two weeks straight until my mom asked just how much curry udon we have in the fridge. my birthday lunch was a plate of katsu curry from hoshino cafe.
my favourite part of it is trying out all the fun things to add into it and also figuring out which roux tastes best. i like to add in instant coffee, some honey, and cheese to round out all the flavours. my favourite roux is kokumaro and java and i like to use both whenever i make curry at home. i don’t make it very spicy since my family (and i myself) can’t really handle spicy things without first dying of an asthma attack. whenever i make a batch, i put away two servings for my mom’s assistant and my dad’s siblings.
i was first introduced to it by my dad’s brother (my a-pe). he would make curry katsu every time we came over for sunday lunch. i don’t remember what year it was, but i remember really liking it. he added cubed or grated apples into his curry. sometime between 2018 and 2019, i started cooking on my own and curry was one of the first recipes i learned. i used the recipe on the back of the box of curry roux + JustOneCookbook's recipe and added some chocolate to deepen the flavour. after a while, i started experimenting on my own and eventually found my own groove in the kitchen.
a few years ago, my a-pe texted our family chat and told me i make better curry than he does. when i was over and he made me curry, he had me taste it to see what elsse could be added. i consider that moment my biggest kitchen achievement to date, next to my grandma telling me the sopas we made was good.
i wish i could be more specific about why i love japanese curry. maybe it’s the memory of being accommodated when my eating habits were very limited, or the laughter in the dining room. or maybe i love it because it’s delicious and “strong.”
anyways, here’s my list of add-ins and roux i’ve tried ranked based on how much i like them:
add-ins
- 🧀cheese: need i explain? i always have some cheese on hand because of my mom’s job so i add it in the most
- 🍯honey: adds a nicer layer of sweetness vs just using sugar!
- ☕instant coffee powder: adds a nice depth to the sauce
- 🍫chocolate: adds a nice gloss to the sauce. i used to use it a lot but not so much now that i use instant coffee
roux:
- kokumaro curry: a little harder to find where i live, but it’s my favourite
- java curry: a little easier to find where i live. i like using this as my second roux regardless of what other brand i use. gives the curry a nice spicy kick!
- vermont curry: mostly neutral about this. it’s on the milder end. it’s one of the more available brands for some reason, so i use it a lot.
- zeppin & premium: a little fancier and can mostly be found in japanese groceries. tastes a little bit more professional for some reason? i like it though… it’s good…
- golden curry: the most available brand. i don’t like it as much since i feel like it has a weird aftertaste, but if you mix it with another brand it’s fine. would use this still!
and lastly, my favourite ways to eat curry:
- curry rice: superior… cannot be beat… simply too good.. the most powerful curry dish
- curry udon: soup🤤 also with potato cream top.. soooo yummy!!!
- curry pan/puff: i don’t get to have this much but i love having it as a snack!
- curry sauce to dip bread in: depression meal… still good.. kind of sad to look at though
- HM: curry cheese doria - i don't get to eat it as much, but i think that the cheese on top sometimes overpowers the curry
if you have any favourite curry dishes i’d love to know, or maybe you have a favourite secret ingredient ;) please share them with me via email: bowlofmisua@proton.me !! thanks for hanging <3 mwah
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a song for you.