Not all curries are created equal. This homemade authentic Japanese chicken curry has my heart.

INGREDIENTS:

Curry Roux:

• 1 cup + 2 tbsp (242g) unsalted butter

• 1 cup (120g) all purpose flour

• ½ cup (58g) Japanese curry powder

• ½ tsp (0.5g) cayenne pepper

• ½ tsp (0.5g) cardamom powder

• 1 tsp (2g) fennel powder

• 1 tsp (2.5g) turmeric powder

Curry:

• 2.5 tbsp (37.5g) vegetable oil

• 1 large yellow onion, sliced into ⅓” pieces

• 5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

• 1” knob of ginger, grated

• 1 large Fjui apple, peeled and coarsely grated

• 1.5 lbs (680g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into 1” cubes

• 1.5 tbsp (22g) honey

• 1 tbsp (15g) ketchup

• 2 tbsp (33g) soy sauce

• 5 cups (1175g) chicken stock

• 2 large carrots, chopped Rangiri style

• 3 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8ths

• Splash of shiro dashi (optional)

• Salt to taste

• 8 cups (1560g) cooked short grain rice

Katsu Secreto Benedict With Japanese Curry Hollandaise

Katsu and Poached Egg:

• 1 lb (453g) pork secreto

• Salt & Pepper for seasoning

• 1 cup (60g) all purpose flour

• 1 egg + 1 tbsp (15g) water, whisked

• 1 cup (60g) panko breadcrumbs

• 4-6 cups vegetable (946-1419g) oil for frying katsu

• Water for boiling poached egg

• Splash of white distilled vinegar

• Salt to taste

• 3 eggs for poaching

Curry Hollandaise:

• 2 cups (473g) of heated, fully cooked curry sauce, minus vegetables and meat

• ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter

• Salt to taste

Final Plating:

• 1 loaf sourdough or similar crusty bread

• Spicy Chile Crisp

• Sprinkle of Shichimi togarashi

• Green Onion, thinly sliced

INSTRUCTIONS: Curry Roux:

1. In a small saucepan cook butter over medium heat until melted

2. Add flour into melted butter and whisk for approximately 5 minutes until golden brown

3. Add in Japanese curry, cayenne, cardamom, fennel, and turmeric, and whisk for approximately 30 seconds until combined and fragrant

4. Pour mixture into an 8”x8” baking dish lined with parchment paper so the paper flows over the edges of the pan. Spread curry mixture evenly with a rubber spatula and chill in the refrigerator overnight.

5. Using edges of parchment lift chilled curry roux out of pan, remove from parchment paper, and cut into evenly-sized 1” squares

Curry:

1. Over medium-high heat, coat the bottom of a medium sized pot or large saute pan with vegetable oil

2. Add onion and cook, stirring often, 4-5 minutes or until softened and slightly brown. Add salt to taste.

3. Add garlic, ginger, and apple, and mix to combine.

4. Add chicken, honey, ketchup, and soy sauce, and mix to combine.

5. Add chicken broth, stir to combine, and bring to a light simmer.

6. Add carrots and potatoes, stir to combine

7. Optional: Add splash of shiro dashi

8. Simmer mixture over medium-low heat, 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender

9. Submerge a large ladle in the center of pot until ladle is filled. Drop 2-3 squares of curry roux into center of ladle and mix with one chopstick or a whisk. Keep mixture within ladle until squares are dissolved. Pour ladle back into broth and repeat this step until the whole mixture begins to thicken.

10. Once thickened, gently stir any remaining squares of curry roux directly into mixture until flavored to your liking. Season to taste with salt.

Rice:

1. Rinse your rice thoroughly until the water runs clear. Then place your dry rice in a rice cooker, cover with your 3 cups of water, close the lid and cook as directed by the manufacturer.

Assembly

1. Fill one side of a deep bowl with steamed white rice and ladle your curry into the remaining space

Katsu Secreto Benedict With Japanese Curry Hollandaise

Katsu and Poached Egg:

1. Season pork with salt and pepper

2. Breading station: in three separate medium-sized bowls, add flour, egg-water mixture, and panko breadcrumbs.

3. Coat pork evenly in all purpose flour, shaking off excess.

4. Dip pork into egg-water mixture.

5. Coat pork evenly and fully with panko breadcrumbs.Lightly press breadcrumbs into pork with flat part of hand.

6. Pour vegetable oil into a dutch oven and heat over high until 350 F. Drop pork into oil and fry for five minutes.

7. In a medium pot filled halfway with water, add a splash of vinegar, season to taste with salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

8. As soon as a boil is reached, reduce heat to medium. Use a spoon to create a whirlpool in your pot, stirring in one direction and increasing speed gradually.

9. Quickly but gently pour your egg into the center of the whirlpool and lightly poach for four minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. Repeat process two more times for a total of three poached eggs.

10. Remove fried katsu from dutch oven, drain on a paper towel and salt to taste.

Curry Hollandaise:

1. Ladle curry into blender and blend on high.

2. While blending, add butter 2 tbsp at a time until all butter is used.

3. Season to taste with salt.

4. Optional: Pour your hollandaise into a squeeze bottle.

Final Plating:

1. Toast one ¾” thick slice of sourdough

2. Spread chile crisp on toasted bread and top with katsu.

3. Place three poached eggs atop the katsu cutlet and top eggs with Japanese Curry Hollandaise and a sprinkle of shichimi togarashi and green onion.