Ingredients

Quick (frozen vegetables)

   
13g oil
300g ground beef
1 onion, roughly chopped (or use frozen diced onion)
2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
½ thumb ginger, grated
300g frozen mixed vegetables (carrot, potato, peas — any bag)
17g Worcestershire sauce
34g ketchup
400–500g water or beef broth
4 cubes Japanese curry roux

Fresh vegetables

   
13g oil
454g ground beef
1 onion, roughly chopped
454g potatoes, peeled, 2cm pieces
454g carrots, peeled, 2cm pieces
  Water, to barely cover
8 cubes Japanese curry roux

Steps

Quick (frozen vegetables)

  1. Heat oil in a pot. Add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks. About 5 minutes. Scoop out excess fat if desired.

  2. Push beef aside. Add garlic, onion, and ginger. Cook 2–3 minutes until fragrant.

  3. Add frozen vegetables directly — no need to thaw. Stir to combine.

  4. Pour in water or broth, Worcestershire sauce, and ketchup. Bring to a boil.

  5. Lower heat. Break curry roux cubes into the pot and stir until dissolved.

  6. Simmer 15–20 minutes on medium until thick and vegetables are heated through. Stir occasionally.

  7. Serve over rice with a soft-boiled egg and pickled ginger.

Fresh vegetables

  1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high. Add beef and cook, breaking it up, until browned, about 5 minutes. Spoon off excess fat.

  2. Add onion and cook until soft, 3–5 minutes.

  3. Add potatoes and carrots. Add water until it barely covers the vegetables. Bring to a boil.

  4. Lower heat and simmer until a knife goes through the potato and carrot easily, 20–25 minutes.

  5. Turn off the heat. Break the roux into the pot and stir until dissolved.

  6. Simmer on low, stirring often, until thick, 5–10 minutes.

  7. Serve over rice.

Notes

  • The quick version needs zero knife work if you also use frozen diced onion.
  • The garlic, ginger, Worcestershire, and ketchup from the quick version work in the fresh version. Double them.
  • For beef chuck instead of ground beef in the fresh version, cut it into 3cm cubes, brown it, and simmer it in the water until tender, about 1½ hours, before adding the potatoes and carrots.
  • Mixing two brands of roux gives more complex flavor than one. Vermont Curry + S&B Golden Curry is a good combination.
  • Frozen “stew mix” bags (potato, carrot, onion chunks) work perfectly.
  • If too salty, add hot water 60g at a time until the consistency and taste are right.
  • Ketchup and Worcestershire are the standard Japanese home-cook “secret” umami boosters for curry.
  • Leftovers improve overnight — the roux thickens and flavors meld. Reheat with a splash of water.