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Japanese-Style Beef Curry

Japanese-Style Beef Curry

  • Makes
    4-6 servings
  • Cook Time
    1 hour
  • Active time plus cooling
    20 minutes active

Curry likely arrived in Japan in the late 19th century with the British who ruled India at the time. The dish was adapted to suit local palates, and Japanese curry, as we now know it, is a much-loved food the world over. It is essentially a thick, savory-sweet, spiced sauce—sometimes ingredients are cooked in it, sometimes the sauce is spooned onto fried cutlets or even plain rice. Most home cooks use store-bought curry “bricks” to make Japanese curry, but we use a mixture of curry powder and garam masala to approximate the flavor. Serve this with steamed short-grain rice and, if you can find it, fukujinzuke, a crunchy, sweet-salty Japanese relish that almost always accompanies curry.

Tip

Don’t slice the carrots much larger than ¼ inch or the sauce will over-reduce and become too thick by the time the carrots are tender.

Ingredients
  • 1½

    pounds boneless beef short ribs, trimmed and cut into ½-inch chunks

  • ¼

    cup all-purpose flour

  • 3

    tablespoons grapeseed or other neutral oil

  • 1

    medium yellow onion, finely chopped

  • 2

    tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger

  • 1

    tablespoon curry powder

  • 1

    tablespoon garam masala

  • 3

    cups low-sodium chicken broth

  • 3

    tablespoons soy sauce, plus more if needed

  • 2

    tablespoons mirin

  • 2

    large carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise and sliced ¼ inch thick

  • ½

    ½ cup thinly sliced scallions, for garnish

Step 1

In a medium bowl, toss the beef with the flour until well coated and no flour remains. In a large pot over medium-high, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the beef, reduce to medium and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes.

Step 2

Add the onion and ginger. Cook, stirring, until the onion has softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle in the curry and garam masala, then cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the broth, soy sauce and mirin, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally and maintaining a simmer, until a skewer inserted into the beef meets no resistance, about 25 minutes.

Step 3

Add the carrots and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until tender, 7 to 9 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, then taste and season with additional soy sauce, if needed. Top with the scallions.

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