When you’re busy and you want to make food that will last you almost the entire week, Japanese curry is the way to go. I usually make Japanese curry when I don’t have time to make elaborate meals because all you have to do is throw a bunch of ingredients in a pot and let it cook. I get my Japanese curry from Asian markets like Nikka Japanese Market near Trader Joe’s or the Oriental Market on Hollister Ave. I like the brand Vermont Curry because it’s sweet and so delicious! This brand is sweeter than the others, as the sauce contains honey, apples and cheese. This sauce is also thicker than the other brands.The packet of Japanese curry comes with more than enough curry paste so you can just use however much you want to make, but I usually use half. Here’s all the other ingredients you’ll need:

Winnie Lam / Daily Nexus

  • 3 cups uncooked rice
  • 1 lb of chicken
  • 1 brown onion (peeled and finely chopped)
  • 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
  • 1 tablespoon ginger (peeled and minced)
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 large carrots (peeled and roughly chopped on the bias)
  • 1 large potato (peeled and roughly chopped)
  • 4 cups water

Winnie Lam / Daily Nexus

Directions (Recipe adapted from pickedplum.com):

  1. Cook your rice according to instructions.
  2. In a large pot over medium high heat, add 1 tablespoon of peanut oil and your chicken. Cook until meat is cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
  3. Lower heat to medium low and in the same pot, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of peanut oil with onions and cook for about 10 minutes until onions are translucent and slightly caramelized.
  4. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
  5. Add flour and stir for 1 minute.
  6. Add carrots and potatoes and stir well.
  7. Add water, stir and bring to a boil.
  8. Add chicken and lower heat to a simmering boil. Cover and cook for 30 minutes.
  9. Take the lid off and cook for another 30 minutes or until curry soup has reduced by a third.
  10. Season with salt and pepper and serve with rice.

Winnie Lam / Daily Nexus

I usually make this recipe for dinner and eat it with rice, and I store the rest in the fridge for a quick lunch. You can substitute or add any ingredients you want, which is what I love about this recipe. In addition to eating it with rice, I also like to pair it with some udon if I want to change it up. Overall, Japanese curry is just a really simple meal that I’d recommend to any busy college student. 

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Winnie Lam
Winnie Lam serves as the 2020-2021 On The Menu Editor. She has an unhealthy obsession with Trader Joe's and she loves all things matcha.