Chicken Curry
Chicken curry is one of the world's most universal dishes, adapted as it traveled from the Indian subcontinent through Japan and into Korea, each culture reshaping it to local taste. The Japanese-style version uses a flour-and-butter roux for a thick, mild sauce, while Indian preparations build complexity by browning onions deeply and layering whole and ground spices with tomato. Chicken, potato, carrot, and onion simmer together until the vegetables release their starch and sweetness into the sauce, creating a velvety body. The essential pleasure is spooning the curry over steamed rice and watching it seep between the grains. Leftover curry reheated the next day tastes notably deeper - the Japanese call this nikkame no curry (second-day curry) and many prefer it to the fresh pot, as the spice compounds have had time to meld and the starches further thicken the sauce.
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Instructions
- 1
Cut 600g chicken thigh into bite-size pieces and season lightly with salt and pepper.
- 2
Chop 2 onions, 2 potatoes, and 1 carrot into large chunks.
- 3
Heat oil in a pot and sear the chicken for 3-4 minutes until lightly browned, then remove.
- 4
In the same pot, cook onions for 6-8 minutes until sweet and soft, then add potato and carrot for 2 more minutes.
- 5
Add 900ml water, return the chicken, bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes.
- 6
Turn off heat, dissolve 120g curry roux completely, then simmer on low for 8-10 minutes while stirring.
- 7
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed, then serve with rice.
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