Which prefecture in Japan buys the most curry roux? 3rd place: Yamagata Prefecture, 2nd place: Tottori Prefecture, and 1st place is...

4th place... Kochi City, Kochi Prefecture: 1,650 yen

3rd place... Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture: 1,680 yen

2nd place... Tottori Prefecture, Tottori City, 1,847 yen

The number one spot goes to...

1st place... Niigata Prefecture, Niigata City, 1,895 yen

Niigata Prefecture came in first place! Is there any connection to the fact that Niigata Prefecture is famous for rice production? Tottori Prefecture, which came in a close second, is a regular in the top 5, having ranked many times in the past. It is also known for its large shipments of pickled shallots, a popular accompaniment to curry.

Actually, Niigata and Tottori prefectures are using curry to revitalize their towns. Niigata has curry-flavored fried chicken and curry Italian (fried noodles topped with curry), while Tottori has ago (flying fish) cutlet curry and curry champon, among many other local specialty dishes.

Here are some recommended curry recipes!

Now, in keeping with the rankings, we'll introduce some recipes forアレンジ (arranged) curries made with curry roux. We've picked out recipes that will broaden your repertoire, such as a Japanese-style chicken keema curry with plenty of mushrooms and a Chinese-style shrimp chili curry! Be sure to check them out.

1. Japanese-style chicken keema curry with plenty of mushrooms

Here's a quick and easy recipe for a mushroom-filled Japanese-style chicken keema curry. The savory flavors of ground chicken and mushrooms blend together, and the Japanese-style seasoning using mentsuyu (noodle soup base) gives it a light and refreshing taste. By using ingredients that cook quickly and adding chopped curry roux, you can make a delicious curry in just 15 minutes. Enjoy it with a soft-boiled egg!

Materials (for 1 person)

• Rice... 150g
• Ground chicken... 60g
• Green onion... 1/3 of a bunch
• Shiitake mushrooms... 2
• Shimeji mushrooms (white) ... 50g
• Curry roux... 25g
• Water... 100ml
• Noodle soup base (2x concentrated) ... 1/2 tablespoon
• Salad oil... 1/2 tablespoon

topping

• Hot spring egg... 1
• Green onions (finely chopped) ... appropriate amount

procedure

Preparation: Cut off the stems of the shiitake and shimeji mushrooms. 1. Finely chop the green onion. Finely chop the shiitake and shimeji mushrooms, including the stems. 2. Finely chop the curry roux. 3. Heat a frying pan over medium heat, add salad oil, and sauté the chopped green onion and ground chicken until the meat is cooked through. 4. Add water, the chopped roux, and mentsuyu (noodle soup base), and simmer over medium heat for about 3 minutes. Once it thickens, remove from the heat. 5. Serve over rice, add toppings, and it's ready.

*Elderly people, infants under 2 years old, pregnant women, and those with weakened immune systems should avoid eating raw eggs. If the eggs are cooked to a soft-boiled state, please cook them thoroughly before consuming.

2. Spicy Chinese-style Shrimp Chili Curry

How about trying our Chinese-style shrimp chili curry, where the spicy flavors are perfectly matched? The savory flavor of the shrimp and the chili sauce, infused with doubanjiang (chili bean paste), blend wonderfully with the rich curry, making for a truly delicious dish. You can also taste the flavors of green onions and ginger, creating a deep and complex taste. Please give it a try when you want to eat a curry that's different from the usual.

Materials (for 2 people)

• Rice... 400g
• Shrimp (peeled, frozen) ... 150g
• Green onions... 2
• Onion... 1/2
• Grated ginger... 1 tablespoon
• Water... 300ml
• (A) Ketchup... 2 tablespoons
• (A) Doubanjiang (chili bean paste) ... 2 teaspoons
• (A) Chicken stock powder... 2 teaspoons
• Curry roux... 20g
• Salad oil... 1 tablespoon
• Coriander (leaves) ... 10g

procedure

Preparation: Thaw the shrimp according to the package instructions and remove the veins. Trim the green part and root of the leek. 1. Finely chop the leek and onion. 2. Heat a frying pan over low heat, add salad oil, sauté the grated ginger until fragrant, then increase the heat to medium and add the chopped vegetables from step 1 and sauté. 3. Once the onion has softened, add the shrimp and sauté until the surface changes color, then add water and (A), increase the heat to medium, and simmer for about 10 minutes until the shrimp is cooked through. 4. Reduce the heat to low, add the curry roux, stir until the roux is dissolved, and remove from the heat. 5. Serve rice in a bowl, top with the curry from step 4, and garnish with cilantro.

3. Spicy Tomato Chicken Curry

Here's a recipe for spicy tomato chicken curry made with chicken drumsticks. By using drumsticks and cooking it without water, the flavors of the chicken and other ingredients are concentrated, making it irresistibly delicious! The spicy kick from the chili powder gives it a nice kick, and it goes well with both rice and bread. Using curry roux makes it easy to get the flavor just right, so please give it a try!

Materials (for 2 people)

• Rice... 150g
• Chicken drumsticks... 4 pieces
• Onion (50g) ... 1/2
• Canned chopped tomatoes... 400g
• (A) Unsweetened yogurt... 50g
• (A) Chili powder... 1 teaspoon
• (A) Grated ginger... 1/2 teaspoon
• (A) Grated garlic... 1/2 teaspoon
• (A) Salt and pepper... two pinches
• Curry roux (spicy) ... 50g
• Milk... 50ml
• Soy sauce... 1 teaspoon
• Salted butter... 20g

topping

• Whipping cream... 1 teaspoon
• Baby greens... 10g

procedure

1. Finely chop the onion. 2. Put the chicken drumsticks and (A) into a plastic bag, massage well, and refrigerate for about 20 minutes. 3. Melt the salted butter in a heated frying pan and sauté 1 over medium heat. When the onion becomes translucent, add the canned tomatoes and bring to a boil. 4. Add 2 and simmer over medium heat for about 15 minutes until the chicken drumsticks are cooked through. 5. Add the curry roux and, once dissolved, add the milk. Season with soy sauce and remove from heat. 6. Serve the rice on a plate and pour 5 over it. Garnish with green lettuce and add fresh cream if desired.

Everyone loves it! Let's expand our curry repertoire!

How was it? This time, we introduced a ranking of spending on curry roux and some curryアレンジ recipes. Even with familiar curry, you can enjoy a different taste every time by changing the ingredients or arranging the flavor to Japanese or Chinese style. Please try making the recipes we introduced this time.

*Some parts of this article use AI-generated images.