The Japanese Curry Craze
Japanese curry has been around for over 140 years, and people are still catching on to the curry craze! So let’s get you up to speed. Curry was introduced to Japan during the Meiji era (1868–1912), when India was under colonial rule by the British Empire. By the 1870s, English curry was being served in Japan and became a staple in the Japanese diet. Since its introduction, curry has been completely adapted to the tastes and spices of Japan, making it something entirely native to the East Asian island. It isn’t hard to understand why people in Japan look for the comfort of curry at least once a week. The taste of curry sauce is warm and rich in flavor, coming together with rice or udon to lull you into a happy food coma. Every region boasts its own curry recipe with preferred pairings. Still, none are as unique as the “curry rice” recipe hailing from Ishikawa’s capital city, Kanazawa.
The critical difference of Kanazawa curry is its caramelized color and flavor, giving it a delicious melt-in-your-mouth effect that you don’t find in other curries. Every recipe for this pot of pure indulgence suggests that in Kanazawa, the idea is to let the subtle notes of sweet ingredients elevate the savory and smoky flavors. Kanazawa curry is meticulously placed over every inch of Koshihikari rice. Then, it’s generously topped with crispy yet juicy katsu, and drizzled with sweet and smoky tonkatsu sauce. Adorning the dish with perfectly sliced cabbage for a mild crunch factor completes this classic serving of Katsu Curry: a plate of food that will make you miss your mom. When people recount having Kanazawa “curry rice”, they always end with, “I swore to myself I would never eat that much again, and then I was craving it days later!” It appears that the comforting nature of Japanese curry is what makes it so addictive, and gives it foodie staying power.
If you want to learn more about great-tasting curry, click here!
About The Author:
Tomoko Omori was born and raised in Japan. She came to the USA alone to become an actress, where she received an AA degree from college majoring in Drama. She received a scholarship to study music at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in NYC.
After working for TV broadcasting and a publishing company, today, Tomoko is the CEO of Go! Go! Curry! America, a grab-and-go Japanese comfort food restaurant franchise. There are over 75 locations in Japan, and 11 in the USA. She says, “Our mission is to serve our tasty curry nationwide in the USA and Canada to enrich the lives of our customers, employees, franchise owners and the communities we serve. Our vision is to create millions of satisfied customers, contented tummies and miles and miles of smiles for everyone!” Tomoko received the Nikkei BP Woman of the Year Award in 2015.