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.