Curry Favour

Photo © Rob Jones

When I’ve got a cooking quest, I am like a dog with a bone.

It shall happen. And it did.

I set myself the task of creating Katsu Curry sauce at home the other day, which means that it’s been haunting my day time hours ever since.

I’m the person who stops in the middle of the pavement to look up a recipe on my phone to make sure I’ve got the right ingredients. (Yes, AMM, I know you hate these people. Don’t hate me.)

I was really intrigued by the Katsu Curry story. It’s one of those things that makes you realise how innovative and ever changing food is. An absolute kaleidoscope of ingredients creating something new every time.

So what do we know?

Katsu Curry, that most Japanese of Japanese favourites is actually from … wait for it .. India.

And what’s more it was the good old British Navy who was responsible for its dissemination. They picked it up in India while they were busy subjugating, and added their own twist to it. Can’t you just imagine the cook on a long distance voyage appearing at the galley door and saying - ‘come and get … it.’

It being curry sauce. In fact it is alleged that the British invented Curry Powder, which is unknown to people on the Indian sub-continent. Why indeed, would they need to know it when they know exactly how to make curries in the first place?

I drift momentarily back to the Vesta Curries that kept my dad insane during the 1970s.

So the story goes, that British sailors ended up in Japan, bringing Curry Powder with them. The Japanese navy then said, ‘we’re ‘avvin’ that,’ and the rest is history.

So they say. A pinch of salt needed here.

And push came to shove … and low and behold Katsu Curry was created as a sauce for chops. Katsu being short for Katsuretsu (カツレツ) which is a Japanese transliteration of the English word "Cutlet."

Who knew?

Anyway… I found a free moment to make it.

Method:

50g of butter into a pan and fry off some finely chopped Onion, Garlic, Turmeric, Ginger, some finely grated carrots and some Curry paste.

When soft … blend into a sauce.

Back into the pan, along with a tablespoon each of Honey, Ketchup, Miso paste, and Soy Sauce.

Bubble away.

Add half a litre of chicken stock, and some finely shredded white Cabbage.

I further added some Coconut Milk, and a little Cream.

Into the blender again.

Warm through.

Serve atop some chicken pieces or, as I did, a discounted sliced Chicken Kyev

Yum.

R