Kari Keema

Instructions

1. Gather all the ingredients. We usually serve this dish with steamed Japanese short-grain rice. Cook the rice ahead of time; see how to make it with a rice cooker, pot over the stove, Instant Pot, or donabe.
2. Chop 1 onion finely. Cut the onions in half. Lay one half on the cutting board, flat side down. With the knife edge toward the root end, make ¼-inch horizontal slices to within ½ inch of the root end, keeping it intact. With the knife tip pointing toward the root end, make ¼-inch vertical slices.
3. Finally, make perpendicular cuts down through the vertical slices you made. Repeat with the other onion half. If you need to chop the onions finer, run your knife through them using a rocking motion. Hold down the tip of the knife; otherwise, the onions will go flying around the room.
4. Cut 1 rib of celery into 4-inch pieces. Cut them into thin sticks, then mince them.
5. Cut ½ carrot into 4-inch thin slabs. Cut the slabs into thin sticks, then mince them.
6. Remove and discard the stems of 6 shiitake mushrooms. Slice the caps, then mince them.
7. In a large skillet, heat 1 Tbsp neutral oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent.
8. Add 1 lb ground pork and cook until no longer pink.
9. Season with ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
10. Add the celery, carrots, and shiitake mushrooms. Mix well with the rest of the ingredients.
11. Add 1 cup chicken stock/broth and ½ cup water. If needed, add more water so the cooking liquid covers the ingredients.
12. Add 1 tsp Japanese curry powder and mix well. Cover and bring it to a boil. Skim off the scum and foam on the surface with a fine-mesh skimmer. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook, covered, until the vegetables are tender, about 6–8 minutes.
13. Add 1 Tbsp unsalted butter and 2 cubes Japanese curry roux, one cube at a time. Dissolve it completely in the cooking liquid before adding the next cube. The curry will thicken as it heats up. Add more water or broth to adjust the thickness to your liking (you can make it soupy, if you prefer.)
14. Add 1 Tbsp ketchup and 1 Tbsp tonkatsu sauce. Mix well and simmer for 3–5 minutes. If the sauce is too thick, add a small amount of water to loosen it.
15. Portion the steamed rice on individual serving plates and serve the Keema Curry on top. Add one of the 4 fried eggs (optional) to each plate.
16. Keep in the airtight container for up to 2–3 days. This recipe freezes well, so make a large portion, divide it up, and freeze for up to a month.
17. Curry thickens as it cools, so it tends to burn while reheating. To avoid this, stir in ¼ cup (60 ml) water or more to loosen up the sauce. Then, gently reheat it on low heat. If it seems thin, continue heating with the lid off to reduce the sauce.