Japanese Chicken Curry

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1. 1Step 1: Gather all the ingredients. For this recipe, you will add ginger, garlic, apple, honey, soy sauce, and ketchup as secret ingredients.
2. 2Step 2: Cut the onions into thick wedges. If you prefer, you can mince or thinly slice them so they disintegrate into the sauce.
3. 3Step 3: Peel the carrots and cut them into rolling wedges (rangiri). This cut creates more surface area, helping the carrots absorb more flavor and cook faster.
4. 4Step 4: Peel the potatoes and cut them into quarters. Soak them in water for 15 minutes to remove excess starch. Yukon gold potatoes hold their shape well; if using russet potatoes, cut them into 6 pieces each and add them toward the end of cooking.
5. 5Step 5: Grate the ginger and measure 1 tsp ginger with the juice. Set aside. Mince the garlic and set aside.
6. 6Step 6: Cut the apple into quarters, remove the core, and peel the skin.
7. 7Step 7: Grate the apple and set aside. You could also use 1 small lunchbox apple for 8 servings.
8. 8Step 8: Cut off extra fat from the chicken thighs and discard. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces, cutting diagonally (sogigiri) to create more surface area and flatten each piece so it cooks faster. Season with freshly ground black pepper. If using homemade curry roux, you can lightly season the chicken with kosher salt as well.
9. 9Step 9: Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat and add the onion.
10. 10Step 10: Sauté the onions, stirring occasionally, until they become translucent and tender, about 5 minutes. Don't stir them too often because they won't develop a golden color. Cooked onions add amazing flavor, so don't skip this step. If you have extra time, sauté the onions an additional 5 minutes to add more color and flavor.
11. 11Step 11: Add the minced garlic and grated ginger and mix well together.
12. 12Step 12: Add the chicken and cook, stirring frequently, until it's no longer pink on the outside. If the onions are getting too brown, reduce the heat to medium low temporarily.
13. 13Step 13: Add the chicken stock/broth. To reduce sodium, you can substitute with water only or use half stock and half water. If using homemade curry roux, you don't need to worry as it does not contain salt.
14. 14Step 14: Add the grated apple, honey, soy sauce, and ketchup.
15. 15Step 15: Add the carrots and Yukon gold potatoes (if using russet potatoes, add them later in the last 15–20 minutes of cooking). The broth should barely cover the ingredients. Don't worry; we don't want too much liquid here, and additional liquid will be released from the meat and vegetables.
16. 16Step 16: Simmer, covered, on medium-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Simmer uncovered if the ingredients are completely submerged in the broth.
17. 17Step 17: Once boiling, use a fine-mesh strainer to skim the scum and foam from the surface of the broth.
18. 18Step 18: Continue to cook covered until a wooden skewer goes through the carrots and potatoes.
19. 19Step 19: Turn off the heat. From the curry roux package, put 1–2 cubes in a ladleful of cooking liquid. Slowly let it dissolve with a spoon or chopsticks and stir into the pot to incorporate. Repeat with the rest of the blocks, 2 cubes at a time. Use 1 full-sized box of store-bought curry roux (typically for 8–12 servings; be careful, as some brands offer a smaller box for 4 servings). With homemade curry roux, use 6–7 cubes for 8 servings (about 80% of the curry roux mixture if it hasn't solidified yet).
20. 20Step 20: Simmer, uncovered, on medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the curry becomes thick, about 5–10 minutes. If your curry is too thick, you can add water to thin the sauce. When you stir, make sure that no roux or food is stuck to the bottom of the pot; otherwise, it may burn.
21. 21Step 21: If you use unsalted homemade curry roux, taste the curry now and add salt to your liking. Add 2–4 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, but this will vary based on the brand of chicken broth and condiments you added.
22. 22Step 22: Serve the curry with steamed Japanese short-grain rice on the side. If you like, garnish with fukujinzuke (Japanese red pickled vegetables).
23. 23Step 23: You can keep the leftovers in a glass airtight container (so no stains!) 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 you should take them out before freezing. Defrost the frozen curry in the refrigerator for 24 hours before you want to reheat it.
24. 24Step 24: 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.