Cook: Easy Japanese Curry Sauce
Sometimes my best ideas for new recipes come at night. Everyone thinks about what they’re going to eat while they lay in bed, right? I was thinking about how delicious quesabirria tacos are. The deep fried tacos that you dip in a rich consomme and got to pondering how I could create something similar with Japanese curry.
And an idea was born, grilled cheese sandwiches with Japanese curry sauce on the side… for dipping! You can use this curry sauce recipe for just about anything, I’m just encouraging you to dunk your grilled cheese sandwiches in it. I’ll also provide you with some tips on how to make a perfect grilled cheese sandwich and you can check out the link for my fancy grilled cheese.
Here are some other things you can do with this curry sauce:
Add a little more broth and make curry udon. You can add udon noodles and variety of vegetables to your liking.
Mix in a ton of veggies to make a stir fry-ish dish that goes over rice or hot noodles.
The other great part about the sauce alone is that it can be vegetarian! I used veggie broth for this version and no meat. It’s very versatile. It’s also super customizable so, make it how you like it to taste.
Serves: 2-4
Prep Time: 30 minutes, Total Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
3 garlic cloves (peeled, smashed, and diced)
1/2 cup carrots (thinly sliced)
1/2 yellow onion (diced)
1 tsp to 1 tbsp ginger (freshly grated or the kind in the jar… either works!)
1.5 cups broth (I like veggie broth for this version but any kind will work)
1/2 pack of Japanese curry roux (I like S&B Golden Curry)
1 tsp soy sauce (optional, taste after you put the curry roux in, you might not need it)
2 scallions (thinly sliced for garnish)
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
In a small saucepan over medium high heat, sauté garlic, carrots, onion, and ginger until soft. About 5-7 minutes. Add a little bit of Kosher salt and pepper. Mix well.
Once veggies are soft, add in broth. Let this come to a gentle boil and then add in the half curry packet.
Stir until dissolved and then let simmer for 10 minutes on low heat to thicken. Taste to see if you need to add any other seasonings (honey, ketchup, soy sauce, or more salt and pepper)
Top with green onions for garnish.
Grilled Cheese Tips:
Since the curry will be very flavorful, I suggest using cheddar cheese and a mild cheese like mozzarella or fontina.
Add some garlic chili oil to your sandwich for an extra kick! My absolute favorite is made by David Chang. Link here! You can also make your own with my recipe in the sauce section.
If you’re using this curry dipping sauce, I highly recommend adding in some fresh tomato slices, it helps lighten the sandwich, and provides the perfect amount of acidity.
The most important part, use mayonnaise and NOT butter to make your grilled cheese. I prefer to use Kewpie mayo for perfect grilled cheesiness!
For bread, sourdough is my favorite!
