Easy Curry Beef Rice Bowls Recipe - The Woks of Life (2024)

FAQs

What is the best beef to use for a curry? ›

Chuck Steak

Chuck is juicy, flavourful, and versatile with the fatty juices providing a rich, delicious curry. Plus, the chuck steak is easy to cut into small pieces, so it cooks quickly and evenly.

Recommended beef cuts for Japanese curry: Beef chuck or shoulder: These cuts are commonly used in Japanese curry due to their balance of tenderness and robust flavor. They break down beautifully during cooking, infusing the curry with their rich taste.

Blade steak can also be used. Chilli is optional. I find that cooking this curry and eating it a couple of days later tastes even better. This recipe was photographed by Greer Worsley for Best Recipes.

Add the garlic, ginger, chilli, turmeric, ground coriander and cardamom and fry for two mins. Tip in the tomatoes, stock and sugar and bring to the simmer. Add the beef, put a lid on top of the curry and cook over a low heat for 1 ½ – 2 hrs or until the meat is tender and falling apart.

The curry-making process begins by chopping the vegetables and meat, followed by sautéing them in oil and butter. The meat will brown and the onions will soften. As soon as this occurs, add water and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat for about twenty minutes, or longer if more tender meat is desired.

The sauce is thickened by a roux (a mixture of fat and flour and an addition of curry spices). You can find many variations of Japanese curries, ranging from regions to households, but the most basic one uses chicken, which is the recipe I'm sharing here.

For one, Japanese curry uses curry powder with less spices whereas Indian curry uses a variety of bases such as cumin, paprika, turmeric, and many more. Indian curry is more vibrant and bursting with flavor, while Japanese curry is sumptuous and “umami” but in a more understated manner.

First off, cooking meat causes it to lose moisture and the tissues shrink, making it tougher. Braising (cooking meat in a liquid) allows the meat to reabsorb moisture and breaks down the tough tissues. This lead to a more tender piece of meat.

Waxy potatoes like Yukon gold, white potatoes and russet potatoes are best for curry. However any other kind of potatoes are okay if you cook them just until fork tender so they retain their shape. Avoid using new potatoes.

What meat is traditionally used in curry? ›

Madras curry is typically made with chicken, beef, lamb, or shrimp. However, the type of meat used can vary depending on personal preference and regional variations. Vegetables or tofu can also be used as a vegetarian alternative.

Beef, pork, and chicken are the most popular meat choices. Katsu curry is a breaded deep-fried cutlet (tonkatsu; usually pork or chicken) with Japanese curry sauce. Curry originates in Indian cuisine and was brought to Japan from India by the British.

For this red curry beef, we're calling for a chuck roast. It's the same cut of beef you'd use to make pot roast—it is cut from the shoulder of a cow—and we love it because it's inexpensive and, with a little slow cooking, it becomes meaty and tender.

Beef is sought after and popular in Japanese curry along with onions, carrots and potatoes. That's classic comfort food for most of them. However, pretty much any protein is great in a curry. Try it with chicken or pork.