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Hi everyone

I'm making a recipe and it says to use 1 box of the roux. Using a whole box seems like alot. Does it mean the whole box or 1 square

What other way can I make vegetarian japanese curry? With or without the roux

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[–] pianoplant@lemmy.world 40 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Follow the instructions on the curry box. It should break apart into pieces like a chocolate bar.

You can also just add one square at a time and keep tasting it until it's the strength you want.

Start by boiling potatoes, carrots, onion. When they soften add roux. It's a pretty forgiving recipe

頑張って!

[–] JohnnyEnzyme@piefed.social 11 points 6 days ago

I've been using these for years, and have found that slicing up the squares can help a lot with getting them to melt properly. Undissolved curry-square can be a bit on the nasty side.

Also, these contain a lot of palm oil unfortunately, so you probably want to add them right at the end of the cooking process.

[–] derin@lemmy.beru.co 16 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

Hello, I've had both of these boxes and they do mean one entire box (I'm surprised there are so many comments and no one is answering your question).

My recommendation is to halve the amount of liquid and meat, while keeping the vegetable amounts the same, and use half a box of curry roux (note: I always use a whole carrot, I've never use half). One box includes two packets with 4 vaccuum sealed cubes in each, so half a box is much easier to make than a quarter.

The flavor is the same, and it's great. I've tried it and can confirm that if you use any less it'll be a bit too watery. Likewise, if you use less than half then that means any leftovers will no longer be sealed (unless you use scissors while peeling off the plastic to preserve the seal on half a packet)

Here's a source where you can double check the recipe.

Also, trust me when I say it isn't too much. It produces a crazy amount of curry. Half a box is enough for one dinner, plus two servings of leftovers, for a single guy like myself. A full box is basically designed to feed a family.

[–] CTDummy@aussie.zone 24 points 6 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (8 children)

Go to an Asian grocer and get the House Java curry blocks. It’ll pretty much ruin the golden curry roux cubes for you.

Edit: I usually cut the roux cubes up and mix it with boiling water in a bowl and whisk it to avoid lumps. Here’s a recipe I use as a base (but in a pressure cooker). Isn’t vego but can be modified. Makes heaps of great curry.

[–] Kojichan@lemmy.world 1 points 3 days ago

Lol. The box says "Jawa curry". Didn't know Jawa's ate curry.

ahem

I'm not a fan of House Foods curry, outside of Vermont. My favorite are the S&B Kamakuro curry. Much tastier than the S&B Golden, IMO.

Kamakuro tend to have more curry flavor, slightly sweeter, and aren't as aggressively spicy. Super delish. Not like the western beefy gravy flavor of the Golden Curry.

Make a half box of roux with bite-sized ingredients (omit meat or replace with more veg), then super thicken JUST the sauce to make a yummy filling for Curry Pan.

[–] Meron35@lemmy.world 9 points 6 days ago (6 children)

Some Japanese people swear by adding some chocolate to curry.

After trying it, they're not wrong.

[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 6 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Like a chunk of a candy bar, or unsweetened cocoa powder? Because the powder is pretty cool for other things, too. I put a couple heaping tablespoons in my Chili. It gives it a richer, molé vibe.

[–] Agent641@lemmy.world 8 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Baking chocolate, or cocoa powder.

This is a common 'secret' ingredient in Cincinnati chilli too.

[–] Mirshe@lemmy.world 2 points 5 days ago (2 children)

No it's not. At least not in the big three chili parlor chains here (Skyline/Goldstar/Dixie). I haven't ever run across anyone who adds cocoa to their chili and I've lived here for 30+ years.

[–] Agent641@lemmy.world 4 points 5 days ago

Now you know one 👋

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Chocolate is one of my seven secret herbs and spices in my chili. It really bams up the bitter flavor in a nice way, without giving an over-weaseled texture to he dish.

Bam!

[–] TerdFerguson@lemmy.world 2 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)
  • Instant coffee, or just ultra-finely ground.
  • Baker's chocolate
  • Shredded apple

Actually all three.

[–] GreenKnight23@lemmy.world 2 points 5 days ago (1 children)

you should try adding chocolate and brown sugar to chili.

you will literally win chili competitions with it.

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[–] Reverendender@sh.itjust.works 4 points 6 days ago (4 children)

I've never heard of these products. What exactly is Japanese curry, and what does it taste like?

[–] GalacticHero@lemmy.world 6 points 6 days ago

It’s much less spicy than most other curry. Even the “hot” versions are like barely detectable heat. It also often has apple and honey added for sweetness, and I would say it’s saucier than other curries. It’s good if you approach it as its own thing, but very different from like a British-style curry and even more different from anything you would find in India.

The product in the picture is a curry roux block, which looks a bit like a big Hershey chocolate bar with squares that can be broken off. It’s like a sauce concentrate. You start cooking your meat and vegetables in a pot, add just enough water to cover everything, then add cubes of roux. The roux has everything necessary to make a complete sauce, but lots of home cooks have their own blend of things they add to adjust, like the aforementioned grated apple and honey, or ginger, garlic, mirin, tonkatsu sauce, etc.

[–] CTDummy@aussie.zone 3 points 5 days ago

Imo it taste much better and the texture is better too, more “velvety”. There are variants of the photo that are sweeter/have apple flavour. I like the stock standard Java stuff. I added a link to the recipe I started with initially in the original comment since there’s a few of replies.

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[–] ragebutt@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 5 days ago

Confirm Java is the best roux one can reasonably get outside of Japan

My additions to the box recipe: I cut the veg a bit smaller, I brown the veg a bit (including potatoes, but you have to have a dry starchy potato type like russet for this to work otherwise precooking it will lead to it just becoming mush during the boil and thickening the sauce), add honey and some kind of neutral hot sauce because Japanese “spicy” is like not even a little spicy. I actually now use one of those ultra extreme spicy 10 billion scoville capsicum extract sauces, literally a few drops in a pot makes it decently spicy and otherwise adds no flavor.

Unless you live alone you might as well make the whole box in one recipe imo. It keeps for several days, reheats easily, and it’s one of those “tastes better day 2 and 3” kind of meals. The only thing is that freezing it doesn’t work so well (sort of). Freezing busts up the cell walls in the potatoes so even if you use a dry starchy potato like above it will turn to mush once you thaw and reheat. It’s not bad, but it does change the texture with a thicker sauce and much less potato “chunks” (some bits usually survive).

The only better thing I’ve found is to make a roux from scratch but honestly it’s not that much better (and probably worse until you dial it in) but a lot more work. The roux is like $4 a box at my local market and making it is like an entire Saturday plus way more money in ingredients especially if you don’t have a well stocked spice rack

[–] Town@lemmy.zip 4 points 6 days ago

Some people recommend mixing Java and Golden.

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[–] AA5B@lemmy.world 7 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (1 children)

Tastes great, mightily convenient! I always add the whole box and it never occurred to me not to - I don’t see how the sauce would thicken up if you didn’t, plus there’d be no flavor.

This is actually how I discovered my family was hit by covid back during the pandemic. This was the first food where we noticed that two of us could neither smell nor taste it, a hallmark of early covid

[–] Jarix@lemmy.world 5 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Yet it also says for half pack cooking use half the ingredients with 660ml of water

[–] AA5B@lemmy.world 1 points 4 days ago

I wonder if yours is packaged differently…. No half sized directions. If your packaging somehow distinguishes half the ingredients, I’m not seeing that either

[–] M137@lemmy.world 9 points 6 days ago (3 children)

Buy WHY is the medium hot one green and the mild one orange!? That's the opposite of what it should be.

[–] Treczoks@lemmy.world 2 points 5 days ago (1 children)

The hot one is golden, BTW.

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Maybe Japanese peppers are backwards

[–] Jarix@lemmy.world 1 points 5 days ago

That's actually a feature not a bug if you are me. I like that is different in different places and i wouldn't want it rebranded

[–] recklessengagement@lemmy.world 6 points 5 days ago (2 children)

These are so good. But they are never as spicy as I expect them to be

[–] ShawiniganHandshake@sh.itjust.works 5 points 5 days ago (2 children)

I recently saw "Extra Hot" at the local Asian market, so I picked it up. Still not that hot. Next time I may throw a couple of dried arbol chilis in.

[–] JoseALerma@lemmy.world 3 points 5 days ago (1 children)

I find that it stands for spice-level, not heat-level. And that spice-level is how much of the general spices they add, not chili spices.

If it's chili spice you're looking for, an Indian curry might work out better than a Japanese curry

[–] Jarix@lemmy.world 2 points 5 days ago (4 children)

The flavours are entirely different though. Just saute your favourite chilis or hot peppers if you want to boost the spice level

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These are good tips. I gotta get some potato starch tomorrow so I might grab some of these for experiments

[–] scytale@piefed.zip 7 points 6 days ago (2 children)

The back of the box should have some info on the number of squares needed by proportion. Match it up with the serving size of the recipe you’re following.

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[–] Knives@lemmy.world 5 points 5 days ago

I use one square per serving I'm making.

[–] Treczoks@lemmy.world 4 points 6 days ago (1 children)

What does your recipe say about the other ingredients, especially the liquids? The whole box is for 1200ml water, but you can use a quarter of that "chocolate bar" with 300ml or two quarters with 600ml.

I made that stuff a ton backpacking across Japan, it means one square unless it's supposed to serve four people.

I usually used 1 to 2 squares each meal for myself, feel free to add a first cube, mix it in, then add more until you get to your desired consistency.

If it's just you and a single meal, all 8 pieces is probably going to be too much.

[–] RebekahWSD@lemmy.world 3 points 5 days ago

I've used these, and made it by the instructions. A tip. You have to stir a lot to get the squares to dissolve nicely instead of gloopily clinging to the veggies/meat/whatevers. Just keep stirring and stirring.

[–] FreddyNO@lemmy.world 2 points 5 days ago (1 children)

I usually use 4 squares; 1 square per person

[–] BigTwerp@feddit.uk 3 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

This is the answer. 1 square to 300ml water works well.

Also the blacka and gold box is best!

[–] pilferjinx@piefed.social 4 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

I like to use a bit of my own blend with half to stretch out the box. But in your case just use the whole box. I like to cut the bars into small pieces then smoosh it into a powdery kind of texture so that the flour incorporates much easier and smoother into the pot. I also just remove meat from the dish.

Bonus: add a bit of Worcestershire sauce and a teaspoon of honey.

[–] ShawiniganHandshake@sh.itjust.works 3 points 5 days ago (1 children)

I also just remove meat from the dish

Worcestershire sauce

I'm not sure if you're removing the meat because you're a vegetarian but if so, you should be aware that Worcestershire sauce is made with anchovies.

[–] pilferjinx@piefed.social 3 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (1 children)

I'm mostly vegetarian, it's a bit complicated.

No judgment here! Just wanted to make sure it was an informed decision.

[–] Heikki2@lemmy.world 3 points 6 days ago

I save a link on Dinner By Dennis where they share all the different types of Curry around the world and a little history of the dish.

Here is the link https://dinnerbydennis.com/the-complete-curry-recipe-guide/

[–] Tuuktuuk@nord.pub 3 points 6 days ago

I had no idea something like this actually exists. Thanks for enabling me to know!

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