Just the smell of that unmistakable spice blend is enough to make you hungry for the rich, satisfying flavor of Japanese curry. It’s no wonder that it’s every bit as beloved a casual meal in Japan as hamburgers are in America.
You might be familiar with curry from South Asia, but Japanese curry is a completely different dish, with a long, complicated history: back in the Age of Exploration, European countries traveled the seas in search of spices, and they would sauté these spices with a flour-based roux to make rich, flavorful stews. It was this recipe that made its way to Japan, where it was further tweaked to be served over top of white rice, becoming the dish that is now eaten by millions of people throughout Japan every day.