I adore Japanese curry!!!!

When I first went to Japan way back in the late 80's! Yeah I'm old. One of the meals that I ate a lot of was Japanese curry. Now back then I had not been diagnosed yet so I ate gluten. I ate a huge amount of gluten. I miss those days. Does anyone miss those carefree days when you could just eat without a thought?

Now don't get me wrong I am so happy I found out what was wrong and I follow my celiac gluten-free diet religiously, but I still miss some of my pre-celiac foods. One of them was Japanese curry. It was even sold at the Japanese McDonalds!!!!! I would buy the Japanese curry roux packages and make loads of it, and I really liked the boil in a bag curry for its convenience. But after being diagnoised as a celiac in 2013 I thought my Japanese curry days were gone. I mourned this event. Yep, I really did. It made me sad. Do you have foods you mourn? Things you wish you could still eat and have yet to find an acceptable gluten-free option. Yes, acceptable not just okayish. Well, I finally decided I needed to figure out how to make my own gluten-free curry roux. After a lot of research and googling I found out that S & B Oriental Curry Powder was gluten-free and the taste was comparable to the roux packages I used to buy.

Now I just had to find this little gem of a tin!!!



So far I've been able to find it in Fujiya Japanese Foods in Vancouver BC, so anytime I'm there I buy a dozen. I really like Japanese curry!!! I do keep an eye out for any at the asian food stores in Calgary, but they are hard to find. When I do find them I usually buy a lot at once. If you've seen them anywhere in Calgary please let me know. Update, I can get them at the Quikieh Asian Grocery Store in Canmore again, you just have to request it. Anyhow I digress, back to my curry adventure. Well, I read the back of the gluten curry packages to get an idea of what ingredients I would need and started to experiment. Below you will find the result of this experiment. I think it tastes quite similar to the gluten version.

Above are some of the ingredients I use in my roux. I have split the recipe into two parts. One for the roux and one for the curry part. This is so that you can make the roux only if you'd like. I often make the roux ahead of time and keep it in the fridge to use later in the week.

It is important to cook the flour and curry powder. If you omit this step the roux has a sharp and bitter taste. The roux will start to thicken. Keep stirring on low heat until it becomes a paste. Usually takes about 5 to 8 minutes. When it looks like the photo below remove from the heat and set aside for later. Just a note, depending on your curry powder the paste could be darker or lighter.

Once the roux is done you can get on prepping your meat or tofu and vegetables. I try to cut everything into about the same size. I like to cut in odd shapes with lots of angles, but cut anyway you like. If I'm using ground meat then I cut the vegetables into small cubes.

I like lots of potatos in my curry. You could substitute sweet potatos or yams, but just note it does change the flavour of the curry, therefore I prefer to use the neutral white potato in mine.

Carrots are delicious in the curry. Most Japanese curries are meat, potato, carrot and onion based. Feel free to add whatever vegetables you like. Just remember that strong tasting ones will change the taste of the curry.

You can cut the onions any size you like. I have mine quite large, but you can also mince them too. I have used red onions before and there was no change in flavour.

I often add zucchini in mine.

Mushrooms are very good in curry. If you are making a vegetarian version then mushrooms provide a nice meaty like texture element to the curry.

I love Imagine broths. They are gluten-free. If making a vegetarian curry use their vegetable broth.

I find frozen peas are great because they keep their shape and colour better than canned. I always add them at the last minute as they only need to be warmed up.

Above is one of my curries cooking before adding the roux. You need to have all the ingredients cooked prior to adding the roux. I change up the vegetables I add to my curries. Sometimes I just go for the basic beef, potato, carrot, onion and pea curry and other times I substitute tofu or chicken and use whatever vegetables I have in the fridge.

The above curry is a simple chicken, onion, potato, carrot and pea curry. One great thing about curry is that it is versatile. One of my friends adds a tablespoon of instant coffee and another likes to add a packet of Japanese dashi. Play around and find what works for you.

Yvonne's Gluten-Free Japanese Curry Roux Paste

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons rice flour or gluten-free flour of your choice
• 3-4 tablespoons curry powder (S & B Oriental Curry Powder)
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder (optional)
• 1 teaspoon garam masala (optional
• 1 teaspoon onion powder (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 2 tablespoons honey (you can substitute the sweetener of your choice)
• 1 tablespoon gluten-free soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon greek yogurt or heavy cream

Directions For the Roux

1. Melt the butter in a pan and add the rice flour (or gluten-free flour of your choice).
2. Once mixed together, add the curry powder and other dry spices.
3. Then cook on medium heat stirring frequently for about 5 minutes. This is to cook the flour, so you don't get a 'raw flour' taste.
4. Add the rest of the ingredients (ketchup, honey, gluten-free soy sauce and cream). The roux will start to thicken. Keep stirring on low heat until it becomes a paste. Usually takes about 5 to 8 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside.
5. You can now start the next step of the recipe and use the roux or you can put the roux in a container and use it within a few days.

Yvonne's Gluten-Free Japanese Curry

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons of oil
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 250 grams chicken or beef or tofu (optional)
• 1 cup carrots
• 2 cups potatos
• 1 to 2 cups zucchinni (optional)
• 1 to 2 cups of mushrooms(optional)
• 1/2 cup apple, peeled and grated
• 4 cups chicken, beef, or vegetable broth
• 1 to 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 cup peas
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• Curry roux paste from recipe above
• 1/2 cup of water, to thin out the roux before adding to the curry.

Directions

1. First make your roux and set aside.
2. Put oil in a large pot, add meat and onions, fry until onions are slightly golden.
3. Add minced garlic and stir.
4. Add your chopped vegetables and grated apple (keep peas till later) and give a stir to coat with the oil. Cook about 2 minutes.
5. Add broth and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Then turn down the heat and simmer (a gentle boil) until the vegetables are soft. This takes about 20 to 30 minutes.
6. When vegetables are done, take off the heat and stir in the roux until combined.
7. I have found that the best way to add the roux, is to put half the roux in a deep container (eg. 4 cup measuring cup), add a 1/2 cup of water and blend with a whisk or fork. Then add two ladles of broth from the pot and rest of roux and combine. The roux is now ready to add to the rest of the pot. By doing it this way you minimize breaking up the vegetables.
8. Put back on low heat and add your peas and now you'd add your tofu if using. Heat until warm then add your heavy cream. You can also add an extra tablespoon of butter or use Greek yogurt instead of the cream.
9. If you want it sweeter, add some extra honey to taste.
10. Serve on rice or noodles or with gluten-free naan or flatbread.

Here is my beef, potato, carrot, onion pea and cauliflower curry. Served with a gluten-free samosa, tzatziki and mustard pickles.



Do give it a go and let me know what you think? Any suggestions on additions? What do you like in your curry?

Great as leftovers. Can be frozen for later or as lunches. I love to use leftover curry in pies or over chips. How do you use your leftover curry?

If you like Japanese food check out some of my other Gluten-Free Japanese recipes.

• Gluten-Free Japanese Yakisoba
• Gluten-Free Onigiri (Rice Balls)