Everyone has at least one nostalgic and beloved dish from their childhood. For many who grew up in Japan or in a Japanese household (including myself), ‘kare’ or Japanese curry is one of those meals. A dish composed of naturally sweet vegetables stewed in a savory, soul-soothing gravy, it’s easy to see how it’s become a symbol of comfort. The smell itself will make your mouth water instantly.
In this recipe, we’ll be keeping things vegetarian by using an assortment of delicious, meaty, mushrooms instead of chunks of beef or chicken. A combination of shiitake, oyster, and shimeji mushrooms offers a great blend of textures that make the dish exciting to eat.
For most, rice is an obvious choice to accompany the curry, but udon noodles are just as delicious and amazing at soaking up all of those flavors. So underrated!
Making chewy, slurp-worthy udon noodles by hand is a labor of love, but one that you’ll thank yourself for. The previously posted udon recipe ‘Hand Sliced Udon with Herbs and Sweet Soy' works perfectly with our curry. I recommend making the dough before starting the curry and slicing and boiling the noodles as the curry is simmering.
What makes Japanese-style curry different from curries from around the world? As mentioned above, Japanese curry is a thick, gravy-like texture, with a mild and sweet taste.
‘Curry’ for those who aren’t aware, is actually a blend of spices and herbs. Although Japanese curry typically has fewer ingredients than Indian curry, a classic Japanese curry blend has upwards of 20 spices and herbs! Now, don’t overwhelm yourself by going out and purchasing a million spices and herbs.
To make things more convenient, curry blends such as ‘S&B curry powder’ are amazing when making a homemade curry roux at home.
There are also amazing instant or boxed versions if you’re short on time that takes away the need for a homemade roux, such as ‘Golden Curry’. The dark brown cubes melt into the pot of water, magically turning it into a flavorful pot of curry. This is what I grew up on and what the majority of people use when making Japanese curry. That being said, ‘Golden Curry’ and ‘S&B’ curry powder are under the same brand, using the same seasoning blend. Making your own curry roux using the ‘S&B’ powder simply eliminates the preservatives and additives and allows you to control the sodium content.
The addition of caramelized onions, garam masala, grated apple, and soy sauce is what makes this recipe special. The caramelized onions create depth and richness, garam masala adds a little heat, grated apple boosts sweetness, and soy sauce adds umami.
Thick-cut potatoes, carrots, and onions are essential in all Japanese curry recipes but like most household classics, each family has their own twist or secret ingredient that they believe makes their dish the best.
…Let’s get cooking!
Japanese Mushroom Curry with Handmade Udon Noodles
Everyone has one nostalgic and beloved dish from their childhood. For many who grew up in a Japanese household, ‘kare’ or Japanese curry is one of those meals. Composed of naturally sweet vegetables stewed in a savory, soul-soothing gravy, it’s easy to see how it’s become a symbol of comfort! Enjoy over chewy handmade udon noodles for a hearty and flavorful meal.
Recipe and photography by Maya Alderman
Forge to Table Knives
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cooking Time: 1 hour
Servings: 6-8
Ingredients:
Handmade Udon:
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted, plus more for dusting
4 teaspoons kosher salt
1-¼ to 1-½ cups water, as needed
Curry:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons flour
5 tablespoons S&B Curry Powder
1 tablespoon garam masala (homemade or storebought)
4 tablespoons canola oil or vegetable oil, divided
2 large onions, julienne (for caramelized onions)
14 ounces mixed mushrooms, cut into bite-sized pieces (shiitake, oyster, and/or shimeji)
Kosher salt, to taste
1 large onion, large dice
1 large carrot, peeled, large dice
3 tablespoons garlic, chopped (~5 garlic cloves)
1 large apple, peeled, core removed, grated
1 large russet potato, peeled, large dice
6 cups vegetable broth
3 tablespoons soy sauce
Garnishes:
Scallions, sliced on a bias
Black sesame seeds
Directions:
(UDON) In a large mixing bowl, combine flour and salt before adding 1-¼ cups water. Use your hands to mix and knead the dough, incorporating the flour until none remains. If necessary, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until all of the flour is incorporated. Knead dough by folding and firmly pressing with the palm, folding again and repeating until dough looks and feels fairly smooth, about 5 minutes. Form dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap or a plastic bag, and let rest at room temperature for 1-5 hours.
(PREP INGREDIENTS) Rinse the vegetables with cool water and pat dry with a paper towel. Using your favorite Forge to Table knife, cut your ingredients in the fashion listed under the ingredients list.
(CURRY ROUX) Melt butter in a Dutch oven or large saucepan on medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the flour and stir until the roux is a wet-sand consistency. Cook until it’s a golden-brown color, about 7-9 minutes. Add the S&B Curry Powder and garam masala, constantly stirring until the roux is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Scrape the curry roux into a large bowl and set it aside.
(CARAMELIZED ONIONS) Wipe out the inside of the Dutch oven or large saucepan and heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add the julienne onions and sauté until translucent. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 30-45 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes until the onions are golden brown and jammy. Add onions to the bowl with the curry roux.
(SAUTEED MUSHROOMS) In the same Dutch oven or saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat and add in the sliced mixed mushrooms. Sauté mushrooms until they become lightly browned, about 5-7 minutes. Season lightly with salt and place mushrooms in the bowl with the curry roux and caramelized onions.
(COOK VEGETABLES) Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat. Add prepared carrots, garlic, onion, potato, and the grated apple to the oil. Season with a pinch of salt and sweat, stirring frequently, until everything has slightly softened, about 8-10 minutes. Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Whisk in curry roux, caramelized onions, and sauteed mushrooms. Reduce heat and let simmer for 30 minutes.
(SLICE UDON) Meanwhile, on a floured surface, knead udon dough a few times and divide it into 4 balls. Dust each ball with flour and use a rolling pin to roll out until just between 1/8" to 1/4" thick. Dust the dough sheet with flour, fold into thirds, and using your sharpest Forge to Table knife slice widthwise into approximately 1/8" thick noodles. Liberally dust with flour and separate the noodles, making sure none are stuck to each other. Repeat with remaining dough.
(COOK UDON) Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Shake excess flour from noodles and add to boiling water, stirring frequently until they are fully cooked, about 7-12 minutes. Drain noodles and immediately rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.
(FINISH CURRY) At this point, the curry should be a thick and silky consistency. Taste the curry and season with more soy sauce or salt, if necessary. A dash of extra seasoning can bring out more flavor! Place a portion of cooked udon noodles in a large bowl. Ladle the curry over the top and garnish with sliced scallions and black sesame seeds. Enjoy!
Chef’s Notes:
Store-bought udon noodles can be used instead of handmade in a pinch.
The curry roux can be substituted for boxed Japanese curry. If you plan to use boxed Japanese curry, skip the curry roux step.
Review ‘Hand Sliced Udon with Herbs and Sweet Soy' for more information and tips on making delicious hand-made udon.
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