Japanese Curry (inspired by SUGALABO)
hwoo.lee•
December 17, 2025
I had the opportunity to work at one of the best French-Japanese restaurants in the world, SUGALABO. During my time there, Chef Suga showed me how they make their famous Japanese Curry course. This dish is an adaptation for the home cook.
Ingredients (20)
Ingredients (20)
Instructions
Sear the meats: Heat oil in a heavy pot (like a Dutch oven) over medium-high heat. Add the chicken (1 ⅕ lb) and Wagyu (1 ⅖ cups) pieces and cook without moving them too much, letting them develop a deep brown crust on all sides.
Once browned, remove the meat and set it aside on a plate—leave the flavorful fat and drippings in the pot.
Cook the aromatics: Add the onions (1 ⅓ lb), ginger (⅓ cup), garlic (⅛ cup), salt (1 tsp), and baking soda (⅛ tsp) to the pot. Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions turn a deep golden color and become soft and jammy—this will take 35–45 minutes. If the bottom of the pot starts to brown too much, add a small splash of water and scrape it up.
Fun fact: the baking soda helps the onions break down faster and caramelize more deeply.
Add vegetables & spices: Stir in the grated carrot (8 ⅘ oz) and cook for 5 minutes.
Then add the curry powder (¼ cup) and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until it smells fragrant and toasted.
Build the sauce base & deglaze: Add the tomato paste (2 Tbsp) and stir for a minute. Pour in the reduced red wine (1 ⅓ cups) and use your spoon to scrape up all the browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot—that's where lots of flavor lives.
Add liquids & seasonings: Stir in the stock or dashi (4 cups), dried apricots (6), shoyu (soy sauce) (2 Tbsp), Yondu (vegetable umami sauce) (1 Tbsp), chuno (Japanese curry base or roux) (1 Tbsp), coffee or espresso (1 Tbsp), and black garlic paste (⅖ cup). If using chicken garum (⅕ cup), add it here as well. Bring everything to a gentle simmer—you should see small bubbles breaking the surface, but not a rolling boil.
Blend the sauce: This step is important—using a slotted spoon or tongs, remove the seared meats and set them aside again. Transfer just the liquid and vegetables to a blender and blend until completely smooth. Pour the silky sauce back into the pot.
Be careful blending hot liquids—fill the blender only halfway and hold the lid down with a towel.
Combine & simmer: Return the seared meats to the pot with the blended sauce. Let it simmer gently for 1½–2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes or so, until the meat is very tender and the sauce is thick and glossy. If it gets too thick, add a splash of stock or water.
Finish & rest: Taste the curry and add more salt or seasonings if needed. Turn off the heat and let it rest for 30 minutes before serving—this helps the flavors meld together.
Serve over steamed Japanese short-grain rice.