How to Make Japanese Curry Roux

🥘 Ingredients

• unsalted butter 3 ½ oz
• all-purpose flour 3 ½ oz
• Japanese Curry Powder 4 Tbsp
• garam masala 1 Tbsp
• ?cayenne pepper ½ tsp
• salt 2-4 tsp

1. 1

   Gather all the ingredients.

To Make a Brown Roux

1. 1

   In a small saucepan , melt unsalted butter over medium-low heat (you can also add cubed butter and start with medium heat, so it melts faster).
2. 2

   When the butter is completely melted, add all-purpose flour . With a blunt-end wooden spatula, stir to combine the butter and flour.
3. 3

   Soon, the butter and flour will fuse and swell. For the next 25 minutes , control the stove's heat to around medium-low heat, and stir constantly because the roux burns easily.
4. 4

   The roux will turn golden brown quickly toward the end. See the "brown roux" color in the next step.

To Make the Curry Roux

1. 1

   Add Japanese Curry Powder , garam masala , and ?cayenne pepper to the roux.
2. 2

   Cook and stir for 30 seconds and remove from the heat. You can use the roux immediately or mold it into a block.

To Mold into a Block (overnight)

1. 1

   Transfer the roux to a glass or metal container lined with parchment paper. Let it cool completely on the kitchen counter, then refrigerate to solidify overnight.
2. 2

   The next day, take out the curry block from the container. If the curry block gets stuck to the container, release it with a butter knife or an offset spatula.
3. 3

   With a sharp knife, cut the block into 8 cubes, about 1 x 1 inch (2.5 x 2.5 cm) each. Transfer the curry roux squares to a glass container.

To Store

1. 1

   Store in the refrigerator for 1 month or in the freezer for 3–4 months. Use them soon for the best flavor and aroma.

To Use in a Curry Recipe

1. 1

   Very important! Please season your final dish with more salt , as the homemade roux is unsalted.
2. 2

   I usually add salt per serving (one block) to the broth of my curry sauce recipe. Store-bought curry roux is quite salty, so you may want to add more salt to achieve a similar taste.
3. 3

   Add the roux cubes or curry roux mixture (before it solidifies) to the broth of your curry recipe. Follow the recipe instructions on when to add it.
4. 4

   Try it in recipes like my Chicken Curry, Instant Pot Curry, Vegetarian Curry, Beef Curry, Keema Curry, and Curry Udon.
5. 5

   How much roux should we use? Roughly 6–7 cubes of this recipe are equivalent to one box of store-bought curry roux (that requires 4 cups or 1L of broth/water).
6. 6

   Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes . Heat will thicken the roux.
7. 7

   If the curry flavor is lacking or the curry does not thicken, add more roux. When you add meat and/or veggies, they release more moisture to the broth; therefore, you will need to adjust the amount of roux you use according to what you’re cooking.