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Japanese Curry Rice

A Japanese comfort dish shaped by adaptation rather than tradition, learned directly from a dear Japanese friend. Curry meets rice in a nearly perfect match—mild, rounded, deeply familiar—reflecting genuine home-style cooking.

Japanese Curry Rice

Ingredients

  • Rice (600 g)
  • Potatoes, large (3x)
  • Carrots, large (2x)
  • Peeled tomatoes (700 g)
  • White onions (2x)
  • Mixed ground pork–beef (800 g)
  • Vegetable stock (1 cube)
  • Curry powder (6 tablespoons)
  • Soy sauce (4 tablespoons)
  • Ginger
  • Parsley
  • Garlic
  • Fresh herbs (optional)

About Rice and its Preparation

It is possible to use any type of rice for this recipe.
However, its cooking method and instruction will vary depending on the kind you choose. The following post can be consulted to get fairly detailed guidance to selecting and preparing the appropriate ingredient.

Rice as a System: Structure, Starch, Function and Cooking
Rice is not a single ingredient but a structural system shaped by starch composition and grain morphology. From risotto rices to aromatic long grains and cohesive rices, including whole-grain rices, each type defines how liquids are absorbed, bound, or separated in cooking.
The Food DiaryLuca Mennoia

It is recommended to use Sushi or Jasmine rice for this dish.

Sushi Rice
Sushi rice is foundational—when mishandled, the entire preparation fails. In Japan, apprentices focus on it before anything else. This method provides a reliable process for consistent results. Requires a rice cooker and careful timing.
The Food DiaryLuca Mennoia

Vegetable Stock Preparation

Prepare vegetable stock in 2 liters of boiling water, preferably using fresh vegetables or a stock cube.

Curry Base

  1. In a pan, sauté finely chopped onion, garlic, and ginger in oil over medium heat until golden.
  2. Add peeled, cubed potatoes and carrots. Pour in two ladles of hot stock and increase to medium-high heat.
  3. Midway through vegetable cooking, add ground meat and peeled tomatoes. Add more stock to maintain a thick, stewed consistency. Stir occasionally.
  4. After about 5 minutes, add curry powder, soy sauce, and herbs. Mix thoroughly and adjust salt if needed.
  5. Continue cooking for about 10 minutes until the sauce becomes cohesive and rounded.

Plating

  1. Compact approximately 120 g of rice into a small bowl, invert onto the center of a plate to form a dome.
  2. Arrange the curry around the rice.
  3. Finish with fresh herbs and serve.
🖋️
Fresh herbs such as coriander or basil can be added for variation.
CC BY-NC-ND License Badge

This original recipe, including its descriptive text and original kitchen photography, is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International . You are welcome to share or adapt this recipe for personal use with proper attribution, but commercial redistribution of this text or my images is strictly prohibited.