Japanese Chicken Curry with Noodles
This light chicken curry with vegetables is an introduction to the flavors of Japan. It's slightly sweet, slightly spicy and satisfies both the taste buds and the soul.
Ingredients
3 chicken thighs (bone-in with skin; you can also use boneless thighs)
2 white potatoes (approx. 300g)
1 small carrot (approx. 75g)
1 medium sweet potato (approx. 200g)
1 smaller onion
20g ginger
2 large garlic cloves
1 level tablespoon tomato paste (approx. 45g)
3/4 tablespoon Japanese curry powder
1 tablespoon salty soy sauce (preferably Usukuchi)
1 teaspoon sugar
75ml milk (can be coconut or other type of milk; I used cow's milk)
200g thick ramen noodles (pre-cooked)
2 tablespoons oil
1/2 tablespoon butter
salt
Servings: 3
Calories: 1650 cal total without noodles; 1970 cal total with noodles
How to prepare japanese chicken curry with noodles
- In a wider pot (about 26-28cm) heat the oil and place the thighs skin side down. Brown them lightly, then flip and brown on the other side as well. Remove from the pot.
- If there's too much fat left in the pot, remove most of it, leaving just a little on the bottom (about 2-3 tablespoons).
- In a small blender or with an immersion blender, blend the tomato paste, onion, garlic and peeled ginger until it becomes a paste. If it doesn't blend easily, add 1-2 tablespoons of water.
- Add the vegetable paste to the oil in the pot and saute, stirring frequently until it looks drier and the color intensifies (about 3 minutes).
- Add the butter and curry powder and stir until the butter is melted and the curry is homogenized. Add 1.5 cups of water, soy sauce, sugar and milk and stir.
- Add the thighs back to the pot (skin side up), along with the potatoes (peeled and cut lengthwise in 2 or 4) and the carrot (cut into longer pieces). Bring to a boil and put the lid on slightly ajar, turn the heat to low. Let it simmer gently for 15-20 minutes, then add the sweet potatoes. Now taste the sauce for salt and add more if needed. Let it simmer for another 15 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are done. If the sauce seems too thin towards the end, you can remove the lid so the sauce reduces and becomes slightly creamy.
- Add the pre-cooked noodles straight from the package and submerge them in the sauce. Let them simmer for 2 minutes, then stir gently so they separate and distribute in the pot. Taste for salt again.
* you can skip the step of adding noodles and serve this curry alongside steamed rice
