Name: Karen Martini's rich Japanese-style vegetable curry
Cook time: 1 h
Yield: 4-6
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: extra virgin olive oil; 2 onions,sliced finely in half-moons; 5 cloves garlic,chopped; 4 carrots,cut into 3cm chunks; 1 small daikon,sliced into 2cm-thick discs; 2 waxy potatoes,peeled and cut into 4cm dice; 8cm piece ginger,finely sliced; sea salt and freshly ground black pepper; 1 litre chicken stock; 1 green apple,peeled and grated; 2½ tbsp mirin; 10 small okra,trimmed; ½ cup frozen peas; 4 spring onions,sliced finely on an angle; 1 sheet of nori,snipped with scissors; short-grain Japanese rice,to serve

Japanese-style curry with okra,potato,peas and daikon.William Meppem

Time:30 mins - 1 hourServes:4-6

Japanese instant curry bases are essentially blocks of curry-powder-flavoured roux,with meat and vegetables then added to the thickened sauce. It's easy to make your own,though,and spice it the way you like. The addition of chocolate may seem a little unusual,but it's a common feature,adding depth and lusciousness. This version is intense with curry spice,subtle sweetness from the apple and an underlying richness from the chocolate.

Ingredients

extra virgin olive oil
2 onions,sliced finely in half-moons
5 cloves garlic,chopped
4 carrots,cut into 3cm chunks
1 small daikon,sliced into 2cm-thick discs
2 waxy potatoes,peeled and cut into 4cm dice
8cm piece ginger,finely sliced
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 litre chicken stock
1 green apple,peeled and grated
2½ tbsp mirin
10 small okra,trimmed
½ cup frozen peas
4 spring onions,sliced finely on an angle
1 sheet of nori,snipped with scissors
short-grain Japanese rice,to serve

For the curry roux

80g butter
40g dark chocolate,chopped
1½ tbsp garam masala
1½ tbsp hot curry powder
2 tsp salt flakes
2 tsp brown sugar
60g plain flour

Method

1. To make the roux,melt the butter and chocolate in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once melted,add the remaining ingredients and cook for 2-3 minutes,stirring constantly,until a thick brown paste forms. Take off the heat and set aside.
2. Heat a splash of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic,and cook until softened and starting to caramelise,about 5 minutes.
3. Add the carrot and daikon,and cook for 5 minutes.
4. Add the potato and ginger,season and cook for 5 minutes.
5. Add the roux,stir to coat the vegetables,then add the stock and apple and bring to a simmer. Add the mirin and simmer gently for 20 minutes.
6. Add the okra and cook for 10 minutes until tender. Add the peas and simmer for a minute or so.
7. Check the seasoning,garnish with shallot and nori and serve with steamed rice.
Tip: For an optional garnish,rehydrate a handful of arame seaweed in water,dry well and shallow-fry until crisp,then sprinkle over the curry when serving.
Note:The origin of Japanese curry,or kare,can be traced back to the time of the British Raj. It's a long way from its source inspirations on the Indian subcontinent,but over time it has become incredibly popular – instant curry bases now line supermarket shelves in Japan.