Japanese Comfort Food

I can remember it very clearly – the first home-cooked Japanese meal that I ever had was none other than the staple, curry rice. It was wonderfully prepared by one of my best friends in the world, Chewy. I instantly fell in love with the dish, and enjoyed how it stood on its own from the curries of other ethnicities. Back when we lived in the same city, Chewy and I enjoyed many a night in front of a plate of curry, sometimes laughing, and other times talking about more serious matters – but always enjoying the meal. Every time I take my first bite from a dish of Japanese curry, I think of those days. I’ve made the dish myself on a semi-regular basis for several years now, always following the recipe on the back of the curry sauce box and trying to add those few special touches, just like Chewy showed me.

Well, several months ago I was sitting down to my morning (tuba) warmup and noticed that someone had left a copy of the New York Times Magazine in the room, so I proceeded to flip through it on breaks. I eventually came across this article on Japanese curry and a chain that had moved into New York that specialized in only curry, Go Go Curry. Well, the article concludes with a recipe for Katsu Curry – curry, rice, and a beautifully fried pork cutlet. I was so surprised when I read through the recipe – no use of packaged sauce?! Mangos?! Apples?!

I knew that I would attempt this homemade curry recipe some day, and that day finally came last night. Chewy, I’m sorry my friend, but I’m not sure that I can go back to the sauce mixes – Japanese curry from scratch trumps all! And best of all – I don’t think it’s that much more difficult to make than the sauce mixes are! I’ve included the recipe from the magazine article below, and I encourage everyone to try it! You’ll be amazed by how similar, yet completely different, this dish is from the sauce mixes. Making the pork katsu is entirely optional, as the curry stands quite well on its own. But this katsu recipe is simple and really tasty – what a great meal! Enjoy!

Katsu Curry (from the New York Times Magazine)

For the sauce:
3 tablespoons butter
1 pound ground pork
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons curry powder, preferably S&B (see note)
1 onion, peeled and quartered
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 green apple, peeled, cored and quartered
1 mango, peeled, cored and quartered
1 2-inch piece ginger, peeled and cut into coins
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into coins
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth, plus more as needed

For the pork:
Peanut or canola oil
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup panko bread crumbs
6 thin, center-cut boneless pork chops, lightly pounded
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cooked short-grain Japanese rice
Raw cabbage, thinly sliced
Tonkatsu sauce (optional) (see note).

1. Make the sauce: Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the ground pork and season generously with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat has browned and the moisture has evaporated. Mix in the flour and curry powder, turn the heat to low and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, to make a porky roux.

2. Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse together the onion, garlic, apple, mango, ginger, carrot, tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce until a grainy purée forms. Transfer the purée to the pork and mix until combined. The sauce should be very thick.

3. Stir in the chicken broth and cook, partly covered, over low heat for about an hour, stirring occasionally. If needed, add a bit more stock to loosen the sauce.

4. Prepare the pork: Heat 1 inch of oil in a frying pan and set a candy thermometer in the oil. Place the eggs in a wide shallow bowl and the panko in another. When the oil temperature reaches 320 degrees, season the pork chops all over with salt and pepper. Cover them, one by one, in the egg and then in the panko, and fry in batches in the hot oil until browned, for about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate and let drain for 5 minutes. Slice the pork chops against the grain. Serve the curry sauce over cooked Japanese rice. Top with the sliced pork and serve with a small handful of sliced cabbage. If you choose, drizzle the cutlet with a little tonkatsu sauce. Serves 6. Adapted from Hiroko Shimbo, author of “The Sushi Experience,” and Sam Sifton.

NOTE: S&B Oriental curry powder and tonkatsu sauces can be purchased at Katagiri, 224 East 59th Street, (212) 755-3566, or ordered through www.asianfoodgrocer.com.