Kare Rice (Curry Rice)

By Bryan Washington

Published Dec. 11, 2022

Kare Rice (Curry Rice)
Chris Simpson for The New York Times. Food stylist: Maggie Ruggiero. Prop stylist: Sophia Pappas.
Total Time
1 hour
Rating
4(504)
Comments
Read comments

Kare rice is instantly nostalgic and hearty, a dish that’s both warming and filling. Japanese curry has origins in India, and it made its way to Japan’s populace by way of the British. By the late 1960s, kare rice became a common sight in Japanese markets and restaurants, and the dish has since found its way into kitchens all over the world. There are as many variations of kare rice as there are cooks preparing the dish: It can easily be made pescatarian (utilizing seafood as the protein), vegetarian or even vegan (omitting the chicken and utilizing a vegetable-based broth). In this version, dashi is used to add umami, with a range of vegetables to add texture to the dish alongside its chicken.

Featured in: In This Crazy World, I Can Always Count on Curry

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings
  • 2tablespoons neutral oil
  • 1½pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
  • Coarse kosher salt
  • 2onions, thinly sliced
  • 3garlic cloves, minced
  • 1(1½-inch) knob of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1red pepper, chopped
  • 2medium Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1½- to 2-inch pieces
  • 1carrot, chopped rangiri style (see Tip)
  • 1apple, peeled and coarsely grated
  • 3tablespoons curry powder (preferably Japanese curry powder)
  • 2plum tomatoes, chopped
  • 3tablespoons potato starch
  • 4cups dashi or chicken broth
  • 2tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2tablespoons tonkatsu sauce
  • 1tablespoon honey
  • Cooked Japanese short-grain rice, for serving
  • Fukujinzuke (chopped Japanese pickles), for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

386 calories; 12 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 40 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 13 grams sugars; 30 grams protein; 1161 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Place chicken pieces in pan, season with 1 tablespoon salt and cook until beginning to brown, stirring occasionally, 7 to 10 minutes, then remove chicken while retaining the fat in the pan.

  2. Step 2

    Add the second tablespoon of oil to the pan. Add the onions, garlic, ginger and red pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    Add the potatoes, carrot and apple. Continue stir-frying, shifting ingredients constantly, until vegetables start to soften, 5 to 7 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Add curry powder to vegetables in the pan, stirring constantly to incorporate. Add the tomatoes and the browned chicken and any juices to the pan, then add the potato starch and stir.

  5. Step 5

    Gradually stir dashi into the pan and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened to a gravy-like consistency and the vegetables are cooked through, 17 to 20 minutes. Season with soy sauce, tonkatsu sauce and honey, adjusting seasonings accordingly.

  6. Step 6

    Divide rice among plates or bowls, then add curry and serve with fukujinzuke.

Tip
  • Rangiri is a style of slicing cylindrical vegetables, turning each ingredient a quarter turn between diagonal cuts. The evenly cut surfaces make this a great method for simmering, as they are better able to absorb seasonings.

Ratings

4 out of 5
504 user ratings
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Comments

Edie Clark

Tonkatsu sauce Ingredients Save Recipe 1/3 cup ketchup 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon mirin 1 tablespoon sugar 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Cindy

My mom always makes kare rice with russet potatoes, which I found would sometimes distegrate when I made it because I wasn't as good on the timing. Gold potatoes are more forgiving. Once I switched to gold potatoes I haven't had an issue with them falling apart.

Mairi

I add chopped rutabaga to mine, sometimes instead of potatoes. It's less likely to disintegrate than spuds.

condiment queen

I followed the recipe almost exactly and it was excellent. My slight modifications: I omitted the red pepper and used 1 tablespoon catsup and 1 tablespoon Worcestershire instead of the tonkatsu sauce. I was also a wee bit heavy handed with the S&B curry powder to accommodate our household tastes. Used chicken broth. Yes, this is somewhat time consuming but produces a healthier dish than the curry blocks you can buy in the supermarket. I had no issues with undercooked veggies -- made sure to sauté them first for until partially soft, as per directions.

NG

This is a good basic recipe. I found it easy enough to swap out ingredients that I didn't have. Tonkatsu sauce, for example, can be a combo of ketchup, Worcester sauce, soy sauce, and oyster sauce. I didn't have dashi so I used chicken stock with some seaweed flakes. None of it has to be too perfect for an overall good tasting dish.

Violet

Can you substitute the curry powder with Japanese curry cubes? If so, would I need to alter anything in this recipe?

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