Home » Pressure Cooker Japanese Curry カレーライス (圧力鍋)
4.79(378)
Total Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes
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Dinner is solved on abusy weeknight with this easy and delicious Pressure Cooker Japanese Curry using an Instant Pot!
![Pressure Cooker Japanese Curry カレーライス (圧力鍋) (1) Pressure Cooker Japanese Curry カレーライス (圧力鍋) (1)](https://i0.wp.com/www.justonecookbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Pressure-Cooker-Curry-IV.jpg)
My Instant Pot has been saving me plenty of time cooking for my family’s dinner. It has so many conveniences, but my favorite part is I am also able to cook up complex dishes like this Pressure Cooker Japanese Curry without having to sacrifice the flavors.
The actual pressure cooking time is only15 minutes, and you don’t even have to be in the kitchen if you use anelectric pressure cooker. I simply add the ingredients in the pot, set up the timer, go out for my kids’ activity, and come home for a fabulous dinner ready to eat. Who’s in?
![Pressure Cooker Japanese Curry カレーライス (圧力鍋) (2) Pressure Cooker Japanese Curry カレーライス (圧力鍋) (2)](https://i0.wp.com/www.justonecookbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Pressure-Cooker-Japanese-Curry-II.jpg)
Japanese Curry Rice カレーライス
Have you heard of Japanese curryor Curry Rice (Karē Raisu)? If not, it’s best described as mild and thick curry. Even though curry was originally from Southeast Asia, ithas become one of the most popular foods in Japan enjoyed by people of all ages.
Japanese curry is always served with steamed rice, andthe common ingredients include a variety of proteins (chicken, beef, pork, seafood), potatoes, onions, and carrots.
To make Thai or Indian curry, you would add the curryspicesfrom the very beginning. However, Japanese curry is seasoned with curry roux toward the end of cooking. Until then it’s just a plain soup/stew.
What is Japanese Curry Roux?
![Pressure Cooker Japanese Curry カレーライス (圧力鍋) (3) Pressure Cooker Japanese Curry カレーライス (圧力鍋) (3)](https://i0.wp.com/www.justonecookbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Japanese-Curry-Roux-I.jpg)
As I mentioned earlier, Japanese curry is seasonedwith curry roux. Typically made from fat and flour, roux is a type ofthickening agent used for thickening soups and sauces.
Most Japanese make curry with a boxed Japanese curry roux like this(picture above). You can find different spice levels and various brands of curry roux at Japanese or Asian grocery stores. These days I can even find it in the Asian aisle at American supermarkets.
![Pressure Cooker Japanese Curry カレーライス (圧力鍋) (4) Pressure Cooker Japanese Curry カレーライス (圧力鍋) (4)](https://i0.wp.com/www.justonecookbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/How-to-Make-Curry-Roux-3596-I.jpg)
If you prefer to make curry roux from scratch and have an additional 30 minutes to spare, check out myHomemade Curry Rouxrecipe. All you need is flour, butter, curry powder, and additional spice.
![Pressure Cooker Japanese Curry カレーライス (圧力鍋) (5) Pressure Cooker Japanese Curry カレーライス (圧力鍋) (5)](https://i0.wp.com/www.justonecookbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Pressure-Cooker-Japanese-Curry-III.jpg)
Personalize the Store-Bought Curry with Additional Seasonings
Growing up in Japan, curry rice was a “fast food” for my family; the food that my mom made ahead of time or the previous day when she knew that she couldn’t prepare dinner in time.
I always saw my mom adding grated apples and different condimentsto the curry while she was making them. She said, “If you put just the boxed curry roux, your curry will always taste the same. It will not be different from your neighbor’s curry.”
So she taught me two tricks. Use two different brands of curry roux (sometimes mix the spice level, like mild and medium spicy) and use additional seasonings.
My mom and Iwould use thecombination of thefollowing ingredients.
- Chocolate
- Coffee
- Butter
- Yogurt
- Gratedapple
- Honey
- Red wine or sake
- Oyster sauce
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Tonkatsu sauce
- Soy sauce (used in this recipe)
- Ketchup (used in this recipe)
Other ingredients that my mom or I haven’t added in ourcurry includepeanut butter, marmalade, and banana. Do you addany additionalflavoringto your Japanese curry?
![Pressure Cooker Japanese Curry カレーライス (圧力鍋) (6) Pressure Cooker Japanese Curry カレーライス (圧力鍋) (6)](https://i0.wp.com/www.justonecookbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Pressure-Cooker-Japanese-Curry-I-2.jpg)
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Pressure Cooker Japanese Curry
4.79 from 378 votes
Dinner is solved on abusy weeknight with this easy and delicious Pressure Cooker Japanese Curry using an Instant Pot!
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Prep Time: 20 minutes mins
Cook Time: 20 minutes mins
Pressurizing + Depressurizing: 30 minutes mins
Total Time: 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 3 onions (large; 2¼ lb, 1,005 g)
- 1½ carrots (5 oz, 143 g)
- 3 Yukon gold potatoes (15 oz, 432 g)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp ginger (grated, with juice)
- 1½ lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs (see Notes for substitutions)
- ⅛ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper
For the Curry Sauce
- 1 Tbsp neutral oil (for cooking)
- 3 cups chicken stock/broth (for lower sodium, use water only or half stock and half water)
- 1 package Japanese curry roux (7–8 oz or 200–230 g; or make my Japanese Curry Roux)
- 1 Tbsp ketchup
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
For Serving
- 6 servings cooked Japanese short-grain rice
- f*ckujinzuke (Japanese red pickled vegetables) (optional; or make myHomemade f*ckujinzuke)
Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.
Instructions
Gather all the ingredients. Please read my blog post about options for add-on condiments to season the curry sauce.
To Prepare the Ingredients
Cut 3 onions in half and cut each half into 5 wedges.
Peel 1½ carrots and cut into bite-sized pieces. I use a Japanese cutting technique called rangiri. This cut creates more surface area, which helps the carrots absorb more flavor and cook faster. Tip: You can cut the vegetables slightly bigger to avoid a mushy texture.
Peel 3 Yukon gold potatoes and cut them into quarters. Soak them in water for 15 minutes to remove the excess starch. Tip:Do not use russet potatoes since they would break down too easily.
Mince 2 cloves garlic (I like thisgarlic press). Then, grate the ginger with amicroplane zesterorceramic graterand reserve 1 tsp ginger (grated, with juice).
Cut 1½ lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces. I use the sogigiri Japanese cutting technique to create more surface area and flatten each piece so it cooks faster. Season with ⅛ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt and ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper.
To Cook the Curry
Press the Sauté button on your Instant Pot (I use a 6 QT Instant Pot) or preheat a stovetop pressure cooker over medium heat. When the inner pot is hot, add 1 Tbsp neutral oil.
Then, add the onion wedges, minced garlic, and grated ginger with juice.
Add the chicken pieces to the pot and mix until just coated with the oil.
Add the carrots and potatoes to the pot and mix well.
Add 3 cups chicken stock/broth and use a spatula to press down the meat and vegetables into the liquid. Then, place the cubes from 1 package Japanese curry roux (I combine half mild and half medium spicy packaged roux) on top of the other ingredients. DO NOT MIX! Otherwise, the roux may sink to the bottom of the pot and burn while cooking. For solidified homemade roux, place the cubes on top of the ingredients and do not mix. For non-solidified homemade roux (that you just made), add it after pressure cooking is done.
Cover and lock the lid. Make sure the Instant Pot‘s steam release handle points to Sealing and not Venting. Press the Keep Warm/Cancel button on the Instant Pot to stop sautéing. Then, press the Meat/Stew button to switch to pressure cooking. Press the “minus“ button to change the cooking time to 15 minutes.
For a Stovetop Pressure Cooker: Close and lock the lid. Set the pressure level to high. Heat the pot on the stovetop over medium-high heat until you‘ve reached high pressure. Then, reduce the heat to medium low to maintain high pressure, and cook for 15 minutes.
When it is finished cooking, the Instant Pot will switch automatically to the Keep Warm mode. Slide the steam release handle to Venting to let out steam until the float valve drops down, OR let the pressure release naturally (this takes about 15 minutes).
Unlock the lid. (If you‘re using homemade curry roux, add it to the pot now and heat on Sauté mode for an additional 5 minutes until well blended into the stew.) Add 1 Tbsp ketchup and 1 Tbsp soy sauce now. Mix well, stirring to dissolve the curry roux and checking one last time that there are no undissolved chunks left. Tip: If you use my unsaltedhomemade curry roux, taste the curry sauce now and add salt to your liking.I recommendadding 2–4tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, but this will vary based on the brand of the chicken broth and condiments you added.
To Serve
Portion 6 servings cooked Japanese short-grain rice on individual plates and serve the curry on top. Serve with optional f*ckujinzuke (Japanese red pickled vegetables) on the side.
To Store
Keep the leftovers in a glass airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and in the freezer for a month. The texture of the potatoes will change in the freezer, so remove them before freezing. Defrost the frozen curry in the refrigerator for 24 hours before you want to reheat it.
To Reheat
Leftover curry sauce will thicken into a paste as it cools, so it tends to burn while reheating. To avoid this, stir ½ cup (120 ml) water or more into the leftover sauce until loosened. Then, gently reheat it on low heat. If the sauce seems thin, continue heating with the lid off to reduce the sauce.
Notes
Substitutions: You can substitute the chicken with pork or beef chuck roast; don’t use beef stew meat as it won’t get tender.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Pressure Cooker Japanese Curry
Amount per Serving
Calories
320
% Daily Value*
Fat
8
g
12
%
Saturated Fat
5
g
31
%
Trans Fat
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
2
g
Cholesterol
108
mg
36
%
Sodium
1052
mg
46
%
Potassium
786
mg
22
%
Carbohydrates
28
g
9
%
Fiber
4
g
17
%
Sugar
7
g
8
%
Protein
26
g
52
%
Vitamin A
2606
IU
52
%
Vitamin C
23
mg
28
%
Calcium
67
mg
7
%
Iron
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Author: Namiko Chen
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Japanese
Keyword: curry, instant pot
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Namiko Chen
I'm Nami, a Japanese home cook based in San Francisco. Have fun exploring the 1000+ classic & modern Japanese recipes I share with step-by-step photos and How-To YouTube videos.
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