Wonderbag Recipe: Japanese Style Curry Stew (Kare)
When I was a child I had the pleasure of living in Japan. Being from a military family, we were attached to the navy base in Yokosuka. My parents decided to reside on the economy as it was called then. We lived in a little residential area called Kubiri Cho, Kanagawa Ken. Though we were bused to and from school on the military base, we frequently commuted by train or taxi. I've always enjoyed learning about new cultures and especially the foods found in other countries. Is it any wonder that though I learned so long ago to make Kare, as the Japanese call their style of curry, I still remember how to this day?
Since my first exposure to curry, I've acquired a taste for different varieties of curries hailing from different countries. You'd think this delectable dish made it's way to the Land of the Rising Sun by way of India, right? Well, they actually acquired it from British soldiers as Japanese military members encountered other troops. Find out more about Kare and its preparation and history in Japan here.
Here's a great conversion chart for metric cooking measurements.
Japanese Style Curry Stew (Kare)
Ingredients
- 1/2 to 1lb stew beef [chicken, shrimp okay also]
- 1 apple, peeled, cored and mashed (optional)
- 3 med potatoes, peeled
- 2 med onions, diced
- 4 med carrots, sliced
- 1 C frozen peas (optional)
- 1/4 C olive oil
- 1 - 2 Tsp curry powder (or to taste)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 C Cold Water
- 3 heaping tablespoons of corn starch
Instructions
- Sauté onions
- Add meat once onions are soft
- Add carrots and potatoes
- Add peas if using
- Add water to cover and over by one inch
- Bring to a roiling boil
- Add curry powder and mashed apple
- Add salt
- Simmer for five minutes
- Put in wonder bag for 2-3 hours
- After removing from wonderbag, return to stove
- Mix cold water and corn starch
- Bring to a boil and stir in corn starch mixture to thicken, continuing to stir until desired thickness is reached
- Garnish and serve over rice, preferably Botan rice
A Note About My Posted Recipes
If you've read any of my other recipes, you'll have seen a pattern in my presentation compared to my actual personal preparation. There are optional ingredients I don't use in the posted recipe. Fukujinzuke is a condiment commonly served with curry which I didn't have on hand today. In this version of curry, I used curry paste instead of rue blocks or powder. You may want to view my recipe for making rice in the wonderbag. One more thing, I thicken usually with cornstarch. You can thicken any way you like, but keep in mind you can't make a thick gravy in the wonderbag.
Just a tip for using the wonderbag. I boiled a stew pot full of water and put it in the wonderbag until I was ready to bag my stew. Then used the water later for washing dishes.
© 2014 Tanya Jones
