Discover the joy of making my simple & easy Old-Fashioned Vegan Japanese Curry Rice recipe! Say goodbye to complicated roux-making and embrace the delicious flavors of the basic blend of curry spices: cumin, coriander, and turmeric. This lower-fat, gluten-free vegan dish offers a healthier twist on a classic favorite that everyone loves.
If you're not vegan, feel free to substitute any meat you prefer for the plant-based protein.
For those who crave heat, you can elevate this recipe by adding hot pepper powder to suit your taste! 🌶
🐰What is Old-Fashioned Yellow Curry Rice?
If you've been to Japan, you might've spotted yellow-looking curry at least once when you walked into a soba or Chinese restaurant. The Japanese call this curry "yellow curry" or "Showa-style curry," and it always reminds us of nostalgia every time we see it. This nostalgic Showa-style yellow curry is made differently than Indian curry and the brown Japanese curry popular today.
Indian Curry vs Japanese Curry vs Showa Curry
Indian curry: As you all know, this is made by frying onions and tomatoes in oil to form the base of the curry. So Indian curries tend to be red or yellow.
Japanese curry: This uses flour and oil (mainly butter) to make the dark brown roux. This is mainly due to the Maillard reaction that occurs during the roux-making process, which causes the flour to brown.
Showa Curry: Unlike the other two types of curry, no tomatoes or roux are used. This allows the colour of the turmeric to show directly. This is why it is also called 'yellow curry'. To add umami flavour, different types of broth are used depending on where it is served. For example, soba soup is used in soba noodle restaurants, Chinese soup stock in Chinese restaurants, or consommé cubes as soup stock for home cooking. By omitting the roux, the curry won't be as greasy as curry made with store-bought roux! In addition, the flavour of the ingredients and the broth come through perfectly, so if you really want to enjoy the true taste of the ingredients, Showa Curry is the best option for you.
Broth for Vegan Japanese Curry
So for this recipe, we use a homemade additive-free consommé onion koji for the stock. This is good enough, as simmering all kinds of vegetables gives enough depth to this simple vegan Japanese curry.
I'm sure you'll love this Showa-style curry as much as the other ones😊
I would absolutely love you to try the delicious Apple and Cabbage Coleslaw with the Vegan Japanese curry rice!
For those looking for a more authentic Indian curry, we recommend the Dahl Curry. It can be made with almost the same spices as this Japanese curry. If you sever it with Potato Subji, you will have a beautiful Vegan Thali Set Meal at home 🇮🇳
Jump to:
🍛What You Need
Main Ingredients
- onion
- carrot
- potato
- deep fried tofu(any protein you like)
- grated garlic
- grated ginger
Protein Is Your Choice
This Vegan Japanese Curry Rice recipe uses thick fried bean tofu, but you can swap in your favorite beans, tofu, or whatever you like. You can also switch up the veggies in whatever seasonal veggies you have on hand.
If you're using cooked beans, we suggest using toor dal or chana dal, since they'll give the broth a rich bean flavor.
But with curry rice, you can never go wrong with any ingredient!
And if you're not vegan, feel free to add your favorite meat or other ingredients.
Spiced & Others
The Key Is To Use Cumin Seeds
It is important to use cumin seeds rather than cumin powder. When you fry cumin seeds in a sufficient amount of oil, the flavor of the cumin is transferred to the oil and creates the basic flavor of the curry. If you don't like the taste or texture of cumin seeds, you can use cumin powder instead. Just be sure to add more cumin powder than called for in the basic recipe to adjust the flavor.
Add Spiciness With Ground Cayenne Pepper
Adjust spiciness by adding cayenne pepper (red pepper).
Ground red peppers are not only a heat source, but they also contain flavoring components. Adding just a little will enhance the flavor of the other spices, making the curry more flavorful.
People often mistake it for chili powder because of its similar name, but it's actually a different spice. It's a seasoning made by mixing chili peppers with cumin and a bunch of other spices, and it's used in Mexican and Spanish dishes like chili con carne and tacos.
We suggest adding some cayenne pepper to give your Vegan Japanese Curry rice a kick.
Seasoning
- onion koji
- sugar
- salt
- soy sauce
Onion Koji Is Key To Flavor
Onion Koji is a homemade condiment that you can use instead of consommé in vegan recipes. We especially recommend using it in Vegan Creamy Maitake Mushroom Pasta and Lentil bolognese. There are many other uses, so it's convenient to have it on hand.
🥣Instructions
The recipe is almost the same as for a curry with roux. It is super simple.
Step1: First, heat the oil in a frying pan and saute the cumin seeds.
💡If you are using powdered cumin, add it at the same time as the other powdered spices.
Step2: When the cumin starts to sizzle and you see bubbles, add the onion and sauté it until it's soft.
Step3: Add other vegetables and sauté lightly, then throw in the garlic and ginger.
Step4: When the garlic and ginger start to smell good, add the powdered spices and sauté for 30 seconds to blend everything together. Just be careful not to burn the spices.
Step5: Add water and spices, stir gently, bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer gently until ingredients are tender (about 10 minutes).
Step6: Once the vegetables are tender, turn off the heat and let the flavors infuse, preferably for at least 30 minutes.
Step7: Before you put it over heat, pour in the rice flour dissolved in water and stir. Then, put it over low heat to thicken. Keep stirring with a spatula to prevent burning.
Step8: After boiling, cook for at least 3 minutes. Remove from heat when desired consistency is reached.
Step9: Serve with rice to complete the meal!
🍽With Leftover Yellow Curry
- Curry Doria - Put the rice in a heat-proof dish, top with a generous amount of curry and vegan cheese, and toast until the cheese melts!
- Natto Curry - Add some natto (fermented soybeans) to this curry for a unique flavor.
- Kimchi Curry - Substitute homemade Vegan Kimchi for the Fukujinzuke pickles.
🥄Tools
- pot
- wooden spatula
- ladle
- cutting board
- kitchen knife
🫙Storage
Yellow curry rice tastes best the day it's made, but it's even better the next day when the flavors have blended well. You can store it in a food container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Just remember to heat it through before eating.
🤔If Not Thick Enough
If following the recipe does not work, add 1 tablespoon of rice flour dissolved in 2 tablespoons of water and see how it goes. If that is still not enough, try adding the same amount again.
💭Questions
First, wash the stained area lightly with detergent and wash as usual. After that, dry it in sunlight to remove the yellow color✌️
You can't make curry taste stronger by adding more powdered spices, no matter how much you do. The trick to making it right is to go whole-hog and toss in some salt. Try adding salt about ¼ teaspoon at a time. You can also try adding onion koji.
Try adding ½ - teaspoon cayenne pepper at the same time as the other powdered spices.
Try adding plenty of several kinds of mushrooms.It will give it a different flavor. Or increase the amount of potatoes would help.
Absolutely. It's an awesome way to clean out the fridge!
Cooked chickpeas or soybeans are recommended. Pouched or canned mixed beans are also good and convenient. 🌱
If you like this recipe or have already made it, we'd love to hear your thoughts in the COMMENTS 🐒. Also feel free to ask any questions or leave any requests!
If you like this recipe or have already made it, we'd love to hear your thoughts in the COMMENTS 🐒. Also feel free to ask any questions or leave any requests!
🧅Recipe Using Onion Koji
🧁For Dessert
Recipes use cinnamon:
📖Recipe Card
Vegan Old-Fashioned Japanese Curry Rice (Gluten Free, Less Fat)
Equipment
- pot
- Spatula
- cutting board
- kitchen knife
- ladle
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 200 g onion (sliced)
- 140 g carrot (roughly chop)
- 300 g potato (roughly chop)
- 140 g thick fried tofu (tear into pieces of desired size)
Ginger & Garlic
- 1 tablespoon grated garlic
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
Oil for Saute
- 2 tablespoon oil
Spices
- 1 teaspoon cumin seed (2tsp for powdered cumin)
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- cayenne pepper (optional)
Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon onion koji
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon natural salt
Water
- 700 ml water
Thickening
- 2 tablespoon rice flour
- 4 tablespoon water
Instructions
Saute
- Heat the oil in a frying pan and saute the cumin seeds. If you are using powdered cumin, add it at the same time as the other powdered spices.2 tablespoon oil1 teaspoon cumin seed
- When the cumin starts to sizzle and you see bubbles, add the onion and sauté it until it's soft.200 g onion
- Add other vegetables and sauté lightly, then throw in the garlic and ginger.140 g carrot300 g potato140 g thick fried tofu1 tablespoon grated ginger
- When the garlic and ginger start to smell good, add the powdered spices and sauté for 30 seconds to blend everything together. Just be careful not to burn the spices.1 tablespoon coriander powder1 teaspoon turmeric powdercayenne pepper
Simmer
- Add water and spices, stir gently, bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer gently until ingredients are tender (about 10 minutes).1 tablespoon onion koji1 tablespoon sugar2 teaspoon soy sauce700 ml water1 teaspoon natural salt
Infuse
- Once the vegetables are tender, turn off the heat and let the flavors infuse, preferably for at least 30 minutes.
Thickening
- Before you put it over heat, pour in the rice flour dissolved in water and stir. Then, put it over low heat to thicken. Keep stirring with a spatula to prevent burning.2 tablespoon rice flour4 tablespoon water
- After boiling, cook for at least 3 minutes. Remove from heat when desired consistency is reached.
Finish Touches
- Taste and add seasonings as needed. If it's not rich or sweet enough, go ahead and add sugar. If it tastes bland, toss in a bit of salt or cayenne pepper. And if it's missing that umami vibe, add in some onion koji to give it some extra flavour and saltiness.
- Serve with rice to complete the dish! The flavors will blend together the next day and taste even better.
We'd absolutely love to see your photos of the dishes you've made with our recipes! Share them onInstagram with the hashtag #vegin_vegan_vegun or just tag us @veginveganvegun 🙏
How did you like the Vegan Japanese Curry recipe?
If you have already tried it out, please let us know in the comments section how it went for you 🐒
Luci says
It was easy to make and delicious!