ramyaramesh3007This luscious and thick homemade Japanese Curry Udon paired with crispy Tempeh Katsu is addictive and perfect for your next weeknight dinner.
Growing up in Singapore, I was exposed to many different types of cuisines, including Japanese cuisine. One of the dishes I had frequently in school or when I patronised the famous Monster Curry chain (known for their gigantic portions of food), was the always the Katsu Curry Rice. It usually comes with a portion of rice, Japanese curry with a customisable spice level and a big katsu chicken cutlet. Sometimes it also came with a side of pickled vegetables.
When I went vegan, I definitely missed the flavours of having Japanese Curry. The difference between Japanese Curry and many Indian curries are that Japanese curries tend to be slightly sweeter because of the addition of apples and sweeteners.
Today, we’re making Japanese Curry Udon paired with gut-friendly and crispy tempeh katsu. It’s one of my favourite well balanced meals to make as it has protein, vegetables, carbs and so much flavour!
Ingredients You Need
- kombu or dried kelp – to add to the broth for more umami
- aromatics and vegetables – white onion, carrots, potatoes, grated apple
- seasonings – light soy sauce, mushroom dashi, mirin curry roux cubes, toasted sesame oil
- optional addition – a square of vegan dark chocolate
- noodles – fresh or frozen udon noodles
- tempeh – you can use fresh or frozen tempeh. Feel free to also substitute for tofu or sweet potato or eggplant slices here!
- wet mix – plain flour, corn starch, salt, black pepper, onion and garlic powder, japanese chili flakes, sparkling water
- dry mix – panko breadcrumbs
- garnish – spring onions, toasted white & black sesame seeds
Allium free substitutions: Omit onions, spring onions, onion and garlic powder. Substitute with a pinch of hing in the curry as well as the tempeh batter.
Japanese Curry Udon with Crispy Tempeh Katsu
Ingredients
Japanese Curry
- 2-3 slices slices kombu or dried kelp
- 3 cups water
- 1/2 white onion
- 1/2 carrot chopped
- 2 small potatoes chopped
- 1/2 apple grated
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1/2 tbsp mirin
- 1 tbsp mushroom dashi
- 2 cubes curry roux
- 1 square dark chocolate
- 2 packs udon noodles
Tempeh Katsu
- 4 tbsp plain flour sub with gluten free flour
- 1 tbsp corn starch
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1-2 tsp japanese chili flakes
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/3 cup sparkling water (to form a thick but not runny batter)
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup neutral oil or more for frying
Garnish
- 1 stalk spring onions
- toasted white sesame seeds
- toasted black sesame seeds
Instructions
- Add kombu slices to 3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Simmer for a few minutes.
- Chop your carrots and potatoes into small cubes. Blend apple into a paste or grate them. Slice onions.
- Add sesame oil to a pan, onions, potatoes and carrots. Saute for 5-7 minutes.
- Add back in the kombu stock. Add grated apple, light soy sauce, mirin and bring to a boil.
- Add curry roux cubes, mushroom seasoning and simmer with the lid closed until the vegetables are cooked. Before serving, add in a piece of dark chocolate and mix well in the heat. At this stage, you can add more water if you don't want a thick curry.
- Cook udon noodles according to package instructions.
- Mix together dry ingredients – plain flour, corn starch, salt, black pepper, onion powder , garlic powder and chili flakes.
- Add 1/3 cup water gradually (add more to get a thick paste, but the batter should not be runny).
- Coat a thin slice of tempeh in the mixture. Coat it again in breadcrumbs.
- Deep fry it until golden brown. Drain the excess oil on a tissue. Slice the tempeh into pieces.
- Serve curry udon over noodles and place tempeh. Garnish with spring onions, toasted sesame seeds and japanese chili flakes. Enjoy!