Name: Ken Ken Sushi Asian Cuisines Curry Rice Or Udon Recipe
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 1 lb beef chuck, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes; 2 tbs vegetable oil; 1 each yellow onion, large, sliced; 1 each carrot, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces; 1 each russet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tsp ginger, minced; 3 cups water or low-sodium beef broth; 1 each bay leaf; 1 tbs soy sauce; 1 tbs mirin (or dry sherry); 0.5 each apple, grated (optional for sweetness); 4 oz Japanese curry roux (store-bought cubes) or homemade equivalent; 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce; 1 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp black pepper; 1.5 cups short-grain Japanese rice (sushi rice) or medium-grain rice; 1.8 cups water for rice; 8 oz dried udon noodles (if making curry udon instead of rice); 6 cups water for boiling udon; 1 cup sodium-reduced dashi or water (to thin curry for udon); 0.25 cup pickled red ginger (beni shoga) or fukujinzuke; 2 stalks scallions, thinly sliced; 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Method

Beef Curry Base

Prepare ingredients

Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt and pepper. Peel and cut the carrot and potato into the sizes listed. Slice the onion thinly, mince the garlic and ginger, and grate half an apple if using.

Brown the beef

Heat 2 tbs vegetable oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When hot, add beef cubes in a single layer (work in batches if necessary) and sear until browned on all sides, about 3–4 minutes per batch. Transfer browned beef to a plate and set aside.

Sweat aromatics and vegetables

Reduce heat to medium. Add the sliced onion to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown at the edges, about 6–8 minutes. Add minced garlic and ginger and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Add carrot and potato pieces and cook 2–3 minutes, tossing to coat in the oil and onion juices.

Deglaze and simmer

Return the browned beef to the pot. Pour in 3 cups water or beef broth, scraping any browned bits from the bottom. Add bay leaf, soy sauce, mirin, grated apple (if using), and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until beef is tender and vegetables are cooked through, about 30–40 minutes.

Finish with curry roux

Remove and discard the bay leaf. With the pot off the heat or over the lowest flame, crumble in the 4 oz of Japanese curry roux (adjust amount for desired thickness) and stir until fully dissolved and the sauce is smooth. Return to low heat and simmer gently for 5–10 minutes, stirring occasionally; the sauce will thicken. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. If the curry becomes too thick for udon, thin with up to 1 cup of dashi or water.

Rice (for Curry Rice) or Udon (optional for Curry Udon)

Cook the rice

Rinse 1.5 cups short-grain rice under cold water until the rinse water runs mostly clear. Drain and combine rice with 1.8 cups water in a rice cooker or a heavy saucepan. If using a saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce to very low, cover and cook 15 minutes, then remove from heat and let steam, covered, 10 minutes. Fluff with a rice paddle or fork just before serving.

Prepare udon (if making curry udon)

Bring 6 cups water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add the dried udon noodles and cook according to package instructions (typically 8–10 minutes) until al dente. Drain and rinse briefly under hot water to remove excess starch. To serve udon with curry, ladle curry into a separate saucepan, thin with up to 1 cup of dashi or water to desired consistency, reheat until simmering, then add drained udon to the sauce to warm for 1 minute before serving.

Garnishes and Finishing

Divide rice among 3–4 bowls or plates (or portion udon into bowls). Spoon 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the hot beef curry over the rice or udon. Garnish with pickled red ginger or fukujinzuke and sliced scallions, and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds if using.

Serve immediately with extra pickles or a side salad. Leftover curry keeps well refrigerated for up to 3 days and often tastes better the next day after flavors meld.