MY CURRY STORY
I Love Curry!
When I was growing up, my mother, like most Japanese, would use a store-bought curry roux to make meals for me and my four brothers and sisters--sometimes more than once a week. She loved the convenience of it, and I like that part too, but you probably know that I don’t care for all the additives and the palm oil that is the mainstay of packaged curry roux. So I set out to re-invent the classic Japanese curry using ingredients that are healthier and more appropriate for our times.
I’ve distilled my curry roux down to its essence: quality spices and seasonings, flour for a thickener, and good fat (butter or coconut oil). First I developed and refined the recipe for my curry bricks using whole spices, which you may have already seen, and now I am pleased to share with you the foundation of that recipe, a Curry Powder already blended so you don’t have to fuss with the whole spices. It’s a harmonious and mild curry, featuring a unique blend of 16 toasted and ground spices and seasonings including kombu and dried shiitake mushrooms, both of which are umami-rich flavors that add depth to the mix.
Curious about Japanese Curry?
If you’ve never tried Japanese curry, let me tell you a little bit about it. It is generally believed that a powdered spice blend, what we now refer to as “Curry Powder,” arrived in Japan in the 19th century by way of the British. What distinguishes Japanese Curry from many other curries is the use of a European roux, classically made of flour and butter.
Japanese Curry is typically served over rice (Karei raisu) but can also be used to flavor soba and udon noodle soups (Karei Soba, Karei Udon). Japanese curry is also used as stuffing for breads (Karei Pan) and fillings for dumplings. It can taste mild or spicy, even subtly sweet when made with a little honey or fruit like apple. In other words, Japanese curry is quite versatile. It is a nourishing and delicious dish that I enjoy often and never tire of.
My Japanese Curry workshops have been such fun before and even during the Covid pandemic. If you are curious about Japanese Curry, why not check out the workshops calendar for an upcoming class?
Because curry is loved across the world, I invited a number of my friends, to experiment and find their favorite ways to use it. I hope this mix of recipes, both traditional and contemporary, inspires you to cook with curry in new and fun ways! I’ll be adding to the collection over time and I’d love to hear what your favorite way to eat curry is.
And finally, you might wonder why I chose the concentric circles with five colors (white, black, green, red, and yellow) for my curry can. The colors represent my life philosophy of embracing diversity and harmony. There are five colors for the five flavors: sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and savory. And the colors themselves have a certain symbolism in Japanese culture: white for purity, black for contrast and balance, green for comfort, and red and yellow for appetite. At its most fundamental level, my philosophy is about respecting each element and letting its natural characteristics come through. Your ingredients should be as fresh and seasonal as possible, and then you can let the ingredients speak for themselves and harmonize as a whole!
I hope we can cook together soon!
Thank you, Sonoko Sakai
“The essence of my very being is rooted in my Japanese heritage—beginning with my name, Sonoko, which means ‘garden.’ I believe that everything begins and ends in the garden, including this little batch of curry powder.”