What is Japanese curry?
Japanese curry (karē) is the most popular dish in Japan. It arrived in the late nineteenth century through the British navy rather than directly from India, which is why it carries the character of English curry: a thick brown sauce bound with flour and fat (a roux), slightly sweet, moderately spiced and served over short-grain Japanese rice with carrot, potato and onion. Japanese curry powder is the spice blend from which this sauce is made. It differs from Indian curry powder through more aromatic spices (cinnamon, cloves, star anise and cardamom), lower heat and a touch of orange peel. In Egypt, Iraq and the Gulf, Japanese curry has spread through Japanese restaurants and modern cafés, and young people and children love it because it is comforting and never burns.
Composition of Japanese curry powder
Without revealing exact proportions, a typical blend contains around twenty spices, chief among them turmeric (colour), coriander and cumin (body), fenugreek (background sweetness), cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and star anise (the characteristic warm aroma), black pepper and chilli (gentle heat), nutmeg, ginger and fennel, and dried orange peel, which gives Japanese curry its special fruity note. The blend comes in a single medium version; in Japan itself the heat level is adjusted by adding chilli while cooking.
| Variant | Character | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese Curry (medium) | Sweet, warm and aromatic with cinnamon, star anise and orange peel, gentle heat, golden-brown colour | Kare raisu, katsu curry, curry udon, curry bread, vegetable curry |
What makes a good blend
The key difference between Japanese curry powder and the ready-made roux blocks sold in shops is that the blocks are more than 70 % flour, hydrogenated vegetable fat, salt, sugar and flavour enhancers, whereas a good powder is ground spices only, leaving you in control of the flour, fat and salt. Signs of quality: a clear cinnamon, clove and coriander aroma on opening, a natural golden-brown colour rather than bright yellow, a fine uniform grind, and no lumps indicating moisture absorption. Seasoning mixes are assessed against the European Spice Association Quality Minima, ASTA cleanliness specifications and the Egyptian Standards for spice mixtures, and turmeric and chilli are screened for Sudan dyes and metanil yellow. Typical, not mandatory, values are moisture not above 10 %, acid-insoluble ash below 1.5 %, volatile oil not below 0.25 % and no colourants.
How to use it: kare raisu (Japanese curry rice)
- Fry two sliced onions in two spoons of oil over medium heat for 10 minutes until soft and caramelised, then add 400 g of cubed beef or chicken and brown.
- Add two carrots and two potatoes in large cubes and a litre of water or stock; bring to the boil, then simmer for 20 minutes.
- Make the roux: melt 40 g of butter in a small pan, add 40 g of flour and stir for 3 minutes until light brown, then add two tablespoons (about 15 g) of Japanese Curry powder and stir for one minute.
- Loosen the roux with a ladle of the cooking liquid until smooth, return it to the pot with a spoon of soy sauce and a spoon of ketchup or honey, and cook for 10 minutes until thick. Serve over Japanese or Egyptian short-grain rice with pickled radish.
Guide dosage: 15 to 20 g of powder per kilo of meat and vegetables combined (one litre of sauce), with 40 g flour and 40 g butter for the roux. Marination: none needed; Japanese curry is cooked as a stew.
Other uses: (1) katsu curry with a panko-crusted fried chicken or pork-free beef cutlet, (2) curry udon with Japanese noodles, (3) a dusting over chips, croquettes or fried rice.
Storage and shelf life
Keep the powder in an opaque, airtight container away from heat, humidity and light; turmeric fades and fenugreek and orange peel absorb moisture. Shelf life is 12 months, with the best aroma within six to eight months.
The Sheikh Al-Attareen range
- Japanese Curry
This blend combines export-grade imported spices (turmeric, cardamom, star anise and cinnamon) with Egyptian coriander and cumin, and every batch is checked for moisture, cleanliness and colourants in our laboratory before grinding and packing at our Mansoura plant. It is available in our branches in Egypt, Iraq (Baghdad and Erbil) and Syria (Homs), and through our online store.
FAQ
How does Japanese curry differ from Indian curry?
Japanese curry is sweeter, milder and more aromatic with cinnamon and star anise, and is cooked as a thick flour-and-butter sauce; Indian curry is sharper and relies on turmeric, fenugreek and chilli.
Do I need ready-made roux blocks?
No. The powder with butter and flour gives the same texture with natural ingredients and no flavour enhancers.
Is it suitable for children?
Yes. It is one of the mildest curries, and you can add grated apple or honey for extra sweetness, as the Japanese do.
Does the blend contain salt or flour?
No. The powder is pure spices with no salt, flour or colourants; you add those when cooking.