[Anime Culture Monday] Anime Recipes: Curry from Uchouten Kazoku 2 (The Eccentric Family 2)

8:00 AM June 19, 2017

Curry is a wonderful dish that if you have even an ounce of culture, you have tried it or at least eaten it. It spans over many countries and there are many, many iterations over this dish. Japan too, much like how it is shown in Uchouten Kazoku 2, has many different versions such as standard curry and rice, bread rolls stuffed with curry, curry udon soup (something we have covered here before!), and even curry ice cream. Now while the last one creeps us out to no end and does not sound appetizing in the least, curry is actually a very delicious dish that is enjoyed all year round, but is best in the cold winter months to keep you warm.

Curry hails originally from India and is a delicious concept that uses a complex combination of spices measured out precisely. Apparently, curry was not brought directly from India to Japan, but rather the British brought it to Japan. Since it was an easy-to-eat meal, as it went with rice and was essentially a thick soup, it spread like wildfire during the Meiji period. It was all thanks to the Japanese military, and now every single Friday, the entire JSDF consumes curry for lunch. It is very safe to say that Japanese people take their curry very seriously.

Curry from Uchouten Kazoku 2 (The Eccentric Family 2)

Curry is essentially a thick soup with vegetables and meat in it. Curry always is served with a spoon because chopsticks will not get you anywhere. Next up, are your veggies. The beautiful thing about Japanese curry is that it usually calls for vegetables that we are well accustomed to in the west. Those vegetables being carrots, potatoes, onions, and sometimes if you are feeling adventurous, celery. You can add other things in too like spinach, red potatoes, and bok choy. Recently broccoli has been appearing as an ingredient as well. Just boil it beforehand and then add it in at the last five minutes so it does not break down. Generally, shredded pork is the meat of choice, but you can use beef or chicken as well. Pork is favored more around the west and north of Japan, while beef is favored in the center around Osaka and Nagoya, and chicken is popular down in the south in Okinawa. Curry is almost always made in Japan using a curry roux like the one above, and this is what Honey’s Anime recommends! This curry recipe will be a bit involved, but it is well worth it.

What You Will Need:

Curry roux for 6 people

Shredded pork

250 Grams

Tomato

Onion

Carrot

1 (Full size, not baby)

Idaho Potato

Water

3.5 cups

Butter

1 tbsp

Cooking wine/sake

1 tbsp

Salt

½ tsp

Optional Notes:

You can put just about anything into this recipe as it is really up to you and your tastes for the curry. Of course, curry does not have to be this way every time as you can fry up pork cutlets and put them on top as well. Soft boiled eggs and pickled vegetables are also popular pairs!

How to Cook It:

1
Dice your onions and place them in a pot that has a little bit of olive oil and the butter in it. Cook on low heat for about 20 minutes.
2
While you are waiting on the onions to cook, wash and slice your potatoes into bite-size pieces. Do the same for your carrots and tomatoes, but set the tomatoes aside and add a little bit of how water to them so they do not go bad. Just about 1cm of water is all you need.
3
If your pork is not already shredded, be sure to slice it thin and into easily chewable sized pieces.
4
Add this meat into the pot that has the onions in it and begin to stir fry it.
5
Once the pork begins to cook, add in the tomato and continue to stir fry the mixture.
6
When the tomatoes have released their water, add in your potatoes, carrots, and salt, and stir.
7
Add in the water and cooking wine.
8
There may be scum that may rise. If this is the case, be sure to take it out with a slotted spoon or ladle.
9
Turn up the heat slightly and bring it to a good simmer. Once it begins to simmer, let it sit like that for about 10-15 minutes. At this point, prepare your roux by breaking it up.
10
Add the roux into the mixture and continue to stir for a couple of minutes until the roux completely dissolves. It does take some time, so be prepared to be there for a few minutes.
11
Then, let the whole dish sit for about 10 minutes. This is to further lock in the flavor to the veggies and meat.
12
Serve with a bowl of rice or a half plate of white rice and enjoy!

(Note: Please make sure your meat is cooked all of the way through! You don’t want to get sick.)

Yum!

Final Thoughts

That is how you make one of Japan’s most iconic meals after sushi and miso soup. This one is a bit more complicated than other recipes that we have featured in the series, but that does not stop it from being one of the most delicious. What do you think? Be sure to let us know what you thought of this edition of anime recipes and let us know if there is anything else that you would like us to cover. Until next time!

Editor/Translator

Author: Nagareboshi

American by birth; international by choice. I am trying to bring attention to one of my favorite causes; me. I translate by day and write by night. Aspiring polyglot. My dream would be to be the personal translator for Amuro Namie. Other than that, my hobbies include languages, weightlifting, sleeping, karaoke, GOOD coffee and music. When I’m not doing any of the above, I am most likely laughing hysterically at Willam Belli videos or EV farming. I ain’t gunna Rupologize for it neither. Waifu are Shirai Kuroko & Euaerin.

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