Japanese Curry Rice (Kare Raisu)

Ingredients

• boneless chicken thighs500 g, cut in 1-inch chunks
• yellow onions2 large, thinly sliced
• carrots2, roll-cut
• yukon gold potatoes2 medium, large chunks
• garlic3 cloves, grated
• fresh ginger1-inch knob, grated
• apple1/2, grated
• neutral oil2 tbsp
• water or unsalted chicken stock4 cups
• Japanese curry roux (S&B Golden or Vermont)1/2 box (about 100 g), broken into squares
• soy sauce1 tbsp
• short-grain white rice (cooked, hot)4 cups
• fukujinzuke (red pickled relish)for serving

Steps

1. 1

   Brown the chicken.

   Heat oil in a heavy pot over medium-high. Brown the chicken on all sides, about 5 minutes, then transfer to a plate.

2. 2

   Cook onions until golden.

   Reduce heat to medium and add the sliced onions with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until deeply golden and jammy, 15 to 20 minutes. This is the flavor backbone — do not rush it.

3. 3

   Cook grated garlic, ginger, and apple.

   Stir in the grated garlic, ginger, and apple. Cook 1 minute until fragrant.

4. 4

   Simmer chicken with vegetables.

   Return the chicken with its juices, add carrots, potatoes, and water. Bring to a boil, then simmer covered for 15 minutes until the vegetables are tender.

5. 5

   Dissolve curry roux and stir in.

   Turn off the heat. Ladle a cup of broth into a bowl, dissolve the curry roux squares into it, then stir the slurry back into the pot.

6. 6

   Simmer sauce until thickened.

   Return to a gentle simmer for 5 minutes, stirring, until the sauce coats a spoon. Season with soy sauce.

7. 7

   Ladle curry over rice.

   Ladle generously over hot rice with a spoonful of fukujinzuke on the side.