Japanese Dry Curry

Dry Curry is a no-gravy version of Japanese curry rice made with ground meat and minced vegetables and often topped with a fried egg. This homestyle meal is flavorful, gently spiced, and savory with a hint of sweetness from raisins. Although it’s not a well-known dish outside of Japan, this quick and easy curry is a staple in Japanese households.

For the Dry Curry

• 1 knob ginger
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 onion (11 oz, 312 g for 4 servings)
• ½ green bell pepper (3 oz, 85 g for 4 servings)
• 4 oz carrot
• 3 sprigs parsley (for garnish)
• 2 Tbsp neutral-flavored oil (vegetable, rice bran, canola, etc.) (divided; for cooking the eggs and dry curry)
• 4 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell) (for the fried eggs; optional)
• ¾ lb ground beef and pork combination (12 oz for 4 servings; a good beef-to-pork ratio is 2 to 1 (8 oz/4 oz) or 3 to 1 (9 oz/3 oz)
• ½ tsp kosher salt (Diamond Crystal; use half for table salt)
• ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 Tbsp sake
• 3 Tbsp raisins (1 oz for 4 servings)

For the Curry Seasonings

• 1½ Tbsp Japanese curry powder (use S&B Curry Powder for that familiar Japanese curry flavor; you can buy it on Amazon)
• ⅓ cup chicken stock/broth (homemade or store bought)
• 1 Tbsp mirin
• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce (I used Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce; use this vegan Worcestershire sauce for vegan)
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp ketchup (I use ketchup without corn syrup)
• 1 Tbsp honey