I made an excellent curry rice (kare raisu) Sunday
 

We had it again last night (in many ways it's better the second day).

I've hit upon a great method, browning the pork and then stewing it with onions, garlic, and some of the curry block for about one and a half hour before adding the carrots. This way the pork stays moist and tender.

I'm a big Vermont Curry fan and I use a combo between hot and medium hot. Before adding the potatoes, I separately bring them to a boil first, so they don't break up too much in the curry. I add them about 30 minutes before eating.

Served with koshihikari, it was very, very good. Few things beat a good kare raisu.

This is a much better food in the winter. Great on a winter campout.

My scouts liked it so much that they made it on their own.

My son had a bad curry rice experience at a local "Japanese" restaurant. I had to wipe it from his mind. It was a kind of therapy.

what kind of curry do you use?

we were given a bunch of indian curry powder by our neighbors and it is delcious.

However, i would be interested in trying some asian curries, as well.

Recipe?

Thanking you in advance.

you can buy curry blocks at a number of places in the Asian section. The basic principle is that the curry block mixes with hot water to form the sauce.

Brown chicken pieces. Toss in some water. Add carrots first (take longest to cook). Then potato cubes/pieces and onions. Add curry cube/blocks. Done.

Dish over sticky white rice.

I usually use the S&B kind, but I'm having trouble with it. I can't seem to get the right consistency, it's either too thick and paste-like, or thin but tastes watered down. Maybe I'll switch to the Vermont brand. Good idea to combine the hot and medium hot.

Only Nipponophiles eat Vermont Curry. True curry aficionados eat Thai-style curries.

Same way I make it but without the potatoes. Hate potatoes in curry. And I usually use chicken for the meat.

Whenever available, I use Vermont (I get a kick out of thinking some marketing guy in Japan came up with the idea of calling his curry "Vermont" curry.). Frankly, it's at the way mild end of the scale in its hot and medium hot, so if you want really hot, you will be dissapointed.

I also like the suggestion that they use apples in their curry block/paste.

You and Jay use chicken? I don't get that. Pork, even beef, is so much better.

As noted I cook the meat and the onions and garlic first (the aroma get's the family in the curry mood). Then water with some of the block/paste along with the carrots. Then more water with the potatoes and more block for taste and and a nice consistency.

I am always a hero when I make curry, as simple as it is.

I once had a roomate at BYU that had lived in Japan and hated kare raisu. I didn't trust him.

beef is fine as long as it is lean. You don't want gristle in your curry.

I made curry the other week because Gidget wanted some. I used pork. I think it was decent.

Wife and kids like chicken better. It's cheaper and easier to dice up. I think I've grown accustomed to it and like it the best now. As I recall in Korea and Japan, beef was the most common way to do it, but all my cooking has become my family's version of the Korean and Japanese originals. For example, bacon and hot dog and chicken as the meat in yakiniku.

Ew. Do you call it Yuckyniku?

I don't eat the hot dogs, the kids do. The bacon is a nice addition. A little bit like Korean sam kyop sal.

I will bring out traditional Korean sauces along with the Japanese yakinuki sauce, like sam jang (fermented soy bean paste mixed with red pepper paste, sugar, and sesame oil) or the traditional sam kyo sal sauce--salt pile in sesame oil. also garlic slices and korean style green pepper slices. It's my favorite meal.

You're a curry snob.

Kare raisu is a working man's meal, salt of the earth type of thing. Nothing like that effete coconut milk infused curry people eat with their pinkies sticking out.

Another tip when eating curry or other soupy/stewy Asian dishes. Get a big bowl, jam your sticky rice into one half smashing it together tight making a line right down the middle of your bowl, then pour your curry into the other side. Each spoonful should be half rice half curry.

I had a girl make it for me once with spam. I could barely choke it down.

That's just wrong, Jay.

Sister Lebowski and I always fight over potatoes in kare raisu. I like as few as possible and she always loads it up.

One more thing: I highly recommend tsukemono (assorted picked veggies) with curry rice. Especially small pickled onions.

In the curry? or as a side dish?

I didn't know the term tsukemono but googling it I see I've had it before, I always thought of it as kimche without the kimche flavor. Not my favorite but a decent side dish.

Jay, gotta go with Surfah on this one, that's some strange yakiniku.

But like you, I've developed my own unique versions of Japanese cuisine. For example, I make what my family calls "beef bowl," or gyudon, in Japanese. But I make it with a yakiniku sauce, marinating the beef overnight and then cooking it all up in a pot with onions and spooning over rice in a bowl. As with kare raisu, I become a hero.

I also have my own version of fried rice that the family loves, but I really don't care for that much because I can't mimic the Japanese flavor. We do yakisoba from time to time, and I'll do gyoza, but only the frozen kind. My wife will do sushi, and can even make oyakodon. We used to do sukiyaki, but can't get the right ingredients here.

So, how do you do the yakiniku? Outside, then bring it in? Or do you have a little electric grill that you put on the table?

Wrong. Think pickled.

Damn straight, Jay. It's kare raisu, not potatoes and gravy.

We just use a skillet on the table. Vary it using chicken, beef, bacon, tofu, pineapple, onion, pepper, or hot dogs for the young kids.

As a side dish.

I meant "pickled", not "picked". There are lots of varieties. Pickled japanese radish (daikon) being one of the more common.

Correct. I like the little chopped red ones. I don't know what it is, probably some kind of radish.

Yeah I saw it here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsukemono

This is exactly what I have had many times, always thinking of it as kimche without the kimche flavor. Kimche can be made with various vegetables: cabbage, radish, cucumber, etc.

From the article:

Bingo.

I prefer fukujinzuke with my curry. Pickled radish, eggplant, lotus root, and cucumber.