Vegetarian Japanese Kare (curry) and Rice

Curry Rice or Kare Rice is brought to Japan by Britishers when they rules Japan. So its mixture of Indian flavors and Japanese but its very different than Indian or Thai curries. Japanese curry is very thick like a stew and its perfectly go with rice. Japanese curry is a mixture of flour , butter and curry powder. You can make it vegan by adding oil instead of butter. You can find readymade curry cubes just like chocolates cubes in store but I didn't wanted to buy it in packet and missed out that home cooked feeling. So I made it from scratch and it was easy and it smells so good. 

You can choose your own vegetables but don't keep all soft vegetables, firm vegetables like carrot, potato, mushroom really goes well in this curry and its like a stew consistency so that kind of vegetables goes well too. Always cut your vegetables in same length so it cooks at same time. Don't overcook vegetables , mushy vegetables ruin the dish. and try to use colorful vegetables to give dish nice look, after all we are eating with the eyes first. 

Ingredients : 

Curry roux: 

3 tbsp. unsalted butter

4 tbsp. all purpose flour

1 tbsp. curry powder

1 tbsp. garam masala

1/4 tsp. Cayenne pepper 

Curry ingredients : 

1 onion cut in match sticks

1 carrot

1 each red and yellow pepper

1/2 tofu - cubes

1 sweet potatoes

4 mushrooms

4 asparagus

1 tsp grated ginger and garlic each

Seasonings 

1 cup Vegetable stock

salt and pepper as per the taste

Method : 

To make the curry roux : 

In a non stick pan, melt the butter completely over medium heat and then add the flour. Stir to combine the flour and butter. The mixture starts as thick but it will becomes more liquid form. Reduce the heat to low and continue to stir for 15 or so minutes. 

The mixture will darken in the color , make sure you don't burn it , it just have to be right color not to brown or black, 

Add 1 tbsp. curry powder and mix well. Add 1 tbsp. garam masala and cayenne pepper powder. 

Mix well to combine and cook stirring for 20 seconds more. Then transfer the roux in to a bowl and keep aside. 

Now lets make curry :

In a same pot, add vegetables texture wise, first goes hard vegetables who take more time to cook and then rest. 

Add ginger and garlic and mix. 

Let the vegetables steam for 5 minutes. 

Add vegetable broth and  add 2-3 roux  mix and mix it together , add more broth if you think your curry is too thick. or add more roux if its too thin. 

cook for a minute till all nice and mixed. 

Serve hot with just plain white rice. 

Copycat Taco Bell Fiesta Potatoes - Air fried

Taco Bell's fiesta potatoes are favorite in my home since the beginning, but when they discontinued last year , kids were sad , its like something is missing but now its back on the menu so all good but that teach me that get ready if that happens and to enjoy it any time , why not to make it at home. Its so easy and you can make enough from one potato to feed the family and above all its , air fried so its double happiness. 

You can use standard russet potato since its very high in starch. If you like you can leave the skin on the potatoes or not. You can not limit yourself with just the potatoes bowl, you can make it potato taco, potato burrito and more cheese, guacamole, Pico , sour cream and hot sauce and make a meal out of it. 

Same way you can make Nacho fries too. Instead of cutting potatoes in cubes, cut it length wise. 

Ingredients : 

2 Diced russet potatoes

2 tbsp. all purpose flour

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper powder

salt and pepper as per taste

cheese and sour cream as per the taste

2 tbsp. oil

Method : 

Wash and peel potatoes and cut into 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch cubes. 

Rinse well and pat dry with a pepper towel. 

In a bowl, add flour , onion, garlic , paprika powder, cayenne powder, salt and pepper and mix it. 

Drop potato chunks in to the flour and coat well and then shake off excess flour and keep it aside. 

Heat a pan with oil in it. 

When oil is hot, add seasoned potatoes in it and cook on high flame for 5 minutes. 

Mean time, in your air fryer tray  , put the aluminum foil and take out the potatoes and spread it on single layer. 

Turn on air fryer for air fry mode  for 375 for 15 minutes and cook it. I like to move the sides every few minutes. 

If you think its not ready after 15 minutes , you can air broil it to give that nice brown color. 

Take it out and put it in serving bowl , add the sour cream and nacho cheese to top and enjoy it. 

If you don't want to use air fryer, you can always deep fry it. 

Ended a meal with churros.