My eleven-year-old son really, really wanted to go to Japan.  

Before I get to that, though, let me tell you about Japanese dry curry, as you may not have heard of it. Run-of-the-mill Japanese curry started as an import from India relatively lately on the timeline of Japan’s culinary history (think 1870s).  It’s deeply flavorful and almost always served over rice.  If you haven’t tried any variety of Japanese curry, the spice blend itself is, like many of the world’s curries, quite distinct from any of its cousins, has a tendency to be milder in heat and sweeter, standing on its own as uniquely Japanese. Unlike the typical version, this dry curry lacks the well of gravy that typically pools around the rice in Japanese curry but makes up for it with the seeping yolk of a runny egg, which winnows through the flavor-packed mince down through the rice bed, before landing on your anxious tastebuds.    

While going to Japan at urging of your 6th grader seems like a tall (or very odd) order, Elias is consistently easy going.  He’s polite, takes leisurely baths, drinks tea for breakfast, and is a pretty great cook himself; often it feels like I’m with another grown-up when I am spending time with him.  He loves all things Japanese-- from food, to architecture, to manga. He’s even taught himself a little of the language.

Elias had been quite patient.  The Japan idea first came up a couple years ago, when the country was still closed to the outside for the COVID-19 pandemic, but regularly, he talked about his wish.  I kept my eye on tickets and sprung at the right moment to take him (and his older sister) to the place of his culinary and cultural dreams.

Our favorite city was Kyoto, with its small-ish town feel, wandering canals, and food good enough to change your life.  One lunchtime, while waiting for a particular restaurant to open, we strolled into the Bukko-ji Temple grounds to kill a few minutes.  While wandering through the open square surrounded by the temple’s buildings, an intoxicating aroma surrounded us.  My daughter Alex pulled us over to the source: a little restaurant tucked under a tree shedding beautiful gold leaves.  It was cold that day, and just then a light rain began.  Our earlier plans were abandoned.

Although not even noon, the small structure was packed.  We took off our shoes at the entrance, stored them in the provided racks, and padded over the raised mat platform over to the last empty table.  Our hostess bowed and handed over the menus.

I chose this beautiful dry curry, and chewed in near-silence as restaurant-goers came over at intervals, one by one, while we ate, to honor the tiny shrine in the wall in between our table and the next.  

This is my attempt to re-create the coziness and quietness of that day in the temple, and the incredible dish we ate.  If you can’t get there yet, try this for a Kyoto transportive experience.   Leaves and rain not included.

Neutral oil

1 medium onion, diced

2-3 medium carrots, peeled and diced

1 medium russet potato, potato, diced into ½ in cubes

1.5 lb ground meat (your choice) or soy crumbles

4-6 cloves garlic, minced

1 inch knob of ginger, peeled and minced

2 tbsp. S & B curry powder

2 tbsp. ketchup (just go with it)

2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp. soy sauce

1 tbsp. honey

1.5 tbsp. chicken or vegetable base

Chicken or vegetable stock (amount will vary, have at least 2 cups handy)

1 cup frozen peas

Rice (or starch of choice)

Poached, onsen, soy cured, or soft-boiled eggs

Cilantro and/or green onion

Slivered Almonds (optional)

Coconut cream, warmed (optional)

Heat a wok or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, adding a splash of oil when hot, followed by the onion, carrots, and potato, cooking the veg until beginning to pick up color, 5-6 minutes. Add another splash of oil if the pan looks dry (and depending on the fat content of your choice of meat).  Add the meat and sauté with the vegetables until cooked through and beginning to brown—time will vary depending on the crumbles you choose.

Add oil again if pan looks dry, then add the garlic, ginger, curry powder, ketchup, Worcestershire, soy, honey, and base, stirring until incorporated and fragrant, a few minutes.

Introduce the stock a little at a time, creating the rich sauce that will cling to the meat mixture.  Make sure the potatoes are cooked through (cook longer with more stock if not), then taste and adjust with salt, pepper and more stock if the curry is too tight, or according to how much or little sauce you like.  Stir in the frozen peas until warmed through, then remove from heat.

Serve over cooked rice (or other starch of choice), top with eggs and herbs.  The temple’s curry had a drizzle of rich, warmed coconut cream hugging the rice and curry, and a dusting of slivered almonds, which was definitely delicious but totally not necessary unless you have an open can of coconut cream and/or slivered almonds languishing in the larder.

This was my favorite meal in Japan, and I’m making it again tonight.