Japanese Curry

Curry (カレー karē) is one of the most popular dishes in Japan.
It is commonly served in three main forms
: curry rice (カレーライス karē raisu, curry over rice), curry udon (curry over noodles),
and curry bread (a curry-filled pastry) (see Fig 1-3).
Curry rice is most commonly referred to simply as “curry” (カレー karē).

Figure 1. Curry Rice (Photo credit: http://japan.recipetineats.com)

Curry was introduced to Japan during the Meiji era (1868–1912) by the British,
at a time when India was under the colonial rule of the British Raj.
The dish became popular and available for purchase in supermarkets and restaurants in the late 1960s.

A wide variety of vegetables and meats are used to make Japanese curry.
The basic vegetables are onions, carrots, and potatoes. For the meat, beef, pork,
and chicken are the most popular.

Figure 2. Curry Udon (Photo credit: http://www.lovelylanvin.com)

Figure 3. Curry Bread (Photo credit: http://painrecipe.com)

Personally, I really don’t have any idea of the curry that exist in Japan.
I just knew about it through a Surinamese friend of mine who suggested that
I should try and taste the Japanese curry.
After the persuasion and pep talk, I got so pumped to tasting one.
I even asked my Japanese colleagues from the Japanese Food Industry Tour,
which happened last 2^nd-12^th of September 2017, if Japanese curry do exist
and thankfully I was not clowned by my friend because it does exist.
They even said that it is one of their food favorites.

In Sweets Paradise, an all-you-can-eat cake and sweets shop (but also serve several savory dishes)
located in Nagoya, I was able to munch in my first-ever Japanese curry gastronomic experience
in the form of karē raisu. From there on, I got so in love on its rich taste and burst of flavor.
The curry itself is not overwhelming and it is like a “fireworks-in-my-mouth”
(idiomatic expression, which means delicious or “oishi” in Japan).

The second Japanese curry I had was at the Nagoya University Cafeteria where I savored katsu-karē.
Katsu-karē is a breaded deep-fried cutlet (usually pork or chicken) with curry sauce.
Again, its taste never failed to astound me.
The cafeteria’s katsu-karē small serving is way enough to fill my ragingly voracious stomach,
worthy for all the yen spent.

Figure 4. Katsu- karē in Nagoya University Cafeteria (Photo taken by article writer)

Japanese curry is a must-have dish when visiting Japan for it has been adapted
since its introduction and is widely consumed  all over the country that it can be called as a national dish.
For those who are not an avid fan of curry in general,
I could vouch you that Japanese curry is something you can love.
Trust me. I am not a curry fan before but from the moment I tasted it, I became an instant fanatic.
It may sound cliché but it is worthy for the saying, “Once tasted, always wanted.”