Japanese Curry Powder (カレー粉)
If you've been following my the blog for very long, you may know that perfecting a Japanese Chicken Curry from Scratch that rivals the instant curry roux blocks sold in Japan has been a personal obsession for a good part of my life. I think I got there with version 4 of my Japanese Curry Recipe, but there was still something missing: the recipe wasn't totally from scratch because I didn't make my own curry powder.
Japanese curry powder is a unique blend of South Asian and East Asian spices with Western herbs, giving Japanese curry its trademark flavor, tailored to Japanese tastes. It's a pantry staple of Japanese home cooking. S&B curry powder, made by S&B Foods, is the most common brand found outside of Japan. Still, its availability is generally limited to Japanese supermarkets, so I've been working on my own blend for over a decade. Through trial and error, I narrowed in on the taste, but I could never get the balance of flavors quite right, as S&B curry powder recipe is a proprietary secret.
Recently, I found a make-your-own-curry-powder-at-home spice kit. It's made by Gaban, a major spice company in Japan, and a subsidiary of House Foods. Aside from being one of the largest Japanese food companies, House Foods got its name from one of its first products, "House Curry." This was the first mass-produced instant curry mix in Japan, dating back to 1926. I figured if anyone knows the secret ingredients to the flavor of Japanese curry, it's them, so I picked up a few sets to give it a shot.
The good news is that the curry powder is good. I actually like it better than S&B's curry powder, which is the benchmark for Japanese curry taste these days. Because all of the spices are individually packaged and labeled, I was able to reverse engineer a Japanese curry powder recipe.
It includes 20 different spices, herbs, and aromatics. No wonder I couldn't just guess! This is almost double the number of spices I was working with, which explains why I couldn't replicate the curry powder blend. If you live in Japan, I highly recommend just buying Gaban's set as it will save you a lot of money and time. Purchase options outside of Japan include Amazon.com, eBay, and some other online merchants. If you live in an area where Japanese curry powder is not available, then this recipe is for you!
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Why This Recipe Works
- A mix of traditional South Asian spices like turmeric, cumin, coriander seeds, and fenugreek seeds with East Asian spices like star anise and mandarin peel along with Western herbs like dill, sage, bay leaf, and thyme gives this curry powder a complex flavor profile that balances sweet and savory aromas with herbal and citrus notes.
- Adding some oil and toasting the ground spices helps bring out and redistribute the aroma in the curry powder blend.
- Aging the curry powder for a few days helps the flavors of the individual Japanese curry powder ingredients meld together.
Ingredients for Japanese Curry Powder
- Savory spices - Curry powder generally contains a mix of savory and sweet spices, and this one includes turmeric, cumin seeds, coriander, fenugreek, fennel seeds, and black peppercorns that provide savory, earthy flavors.
- Sweet spices - Sweet spices aren't literally sweet, but they have aromas that are generally associated with sweet foods. This curry powder includes cinnamon, allspice, cardamom, cloves, star anise, and nutmeg.
- Citrus peel - One of the defining characteristics of Japanese curry powder is its strong citrus flavor. In this blend, dried mandarin orange peel powder is added, but I've also seen blends using powdered yuzu zest. The thing that surprised me here is how much of it is added (it makes up about 10% of the curry powder). This ingredient doesn't even show up in most curry powders from other places.
- Chili pepper - Four grams of cayenne pepper is where this curry powder gets its heat. As far as curry goes, it's a relatively mild to medium heat level, so you can double or even triple the amount if you like it hotter. Be careful not to over-do it, though; you can always add more heat to your dish, but you won't get the full flavor if you have to decrease the amount of this spice blend. And if you have people in your household who don't tolerate spicy ingredients, you can substitute mild paprika to get the pepper flavor without the heat.
- Herbs - Japanese curry powder somewhat surprisingly contains Western herbs such as dill, sage, thyme, and bay leaves, none of which are commonly used in Japanese cuisine, and most aren't even in curry powders from other countries.
- Aromatics - Garlic powder and ginger powder provide a nice, rounded savory and spicy element.
- Neutral oil - Because many aromatic compounds in the spices are oil-soluble, adding a small amount of oil when toasting the spices helps draw out and meld their flavors.
How to Blend Japanese Curry Powder
Before you start, it's important to know that turmeric will permanently stain porous materials such as wood and plastic. At the same time, cloves can break down the polymers in some plastics, so choose your utensils and cookware wisely.
All of the ingredients in this recipe are ground into powder. If any of your spices are whole, you will need to use either an electric spice grinder or mortar and pestle to grind them into a powder first.
Then you want to measure all of the spices into a bowl and give them a preliminary mix to ensure everything is evenly distributed.
Next, you want to toast the curry powder in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-low heat, along with a tablespoon of neutral oil. Be sure to stir the mixture constantly to keep it from burning. If the spices start to smoke, get them out of the pan as soon as possible. Start low. You can always turn the heat up if you need to. After toasting the mix for 2-3 minutes, it should be very fragrant, and you can transfer it to a bowl to cool.
Once the Japanese curry powder has cooled to room temperature, store it in a sealed non-reactive container, like a glass jar. I recommend letting the curry powder age for a few days before using it, which allows the aromas to mingle and mellow out.
How to Use Japanese Curry Powder
Japanese curry powder is a versatile ingredient that can be used to add aroma and depth to a wide variety of recipes. If you're in the mood for some comforting carbs, Curry Udon provides a warm, savory option, while Curry Fried Rice offers a quick and satisfying meal. For a unique fusion treat, don't miss the savory goodness of Curry Bread. If you're pressed for time, there's quick Japanese Curry Rice, or my flavorful Japanese-style Keema Curry both of which can be made without a curry roux. Finally, if you want something hearty, there's nothing better than combining crispy katsu with spicy curry sauce. I even have a Vegan Katsu Curry and a Vegan Japanese Curry recipe.
FAQ
Japanese curry powder is a blend of spices, herbs, and aromatics used to season Japanese-style curry dishes such as curry rice and curry udon. It should not be confused with curry roux, which are "instant" curry mixes with other flavorings, salt, and thickeners mixed in.
Curry has a history spanning back at least 160 years in Japan, and it was first introduced by the British in the 1860s. The first commercially produced curry powder called Hachi Curry came out around 1905. In 1926 Urakami Shoten started mass producing Home Curry, which would be rebranded as House Curry two years later. It wasn't until 1954 that S&B started producing solid curry roux blocks, similar to what you can buy at Japanese markets today.
Curry is a two-syllable word that's pronounced as follows:
ka like copy
re - the “re” sound does not exist in the English language, and the best way to make it is to say the word "rain" with the tip of your tongue at the front of your mouth.
Curry powder is just a blend of herbs, spices, and aromatics, so it should be plant-based. However, some instant "roux" powders for sale include all the flavoring ingredients for the curry. These usually include meat extracts, so if you buy a mix, check the ingredient label.
The main use is for making Japanese-style curry rice; however, it's a delicious seasoning that can be used to season meat, sprinkle on popcorn, or sauce a tofu cutlet.
The first significant difference is that a different blend of spices is used. The second difference is that Japanese curry is generally much thicker than Indian curry. Taste-wise, Japanese curry tends to be sweeter and less spicy than Indian curry.
📖 Recipe
Units
Ingredients
- 20 grams turmeric
- 14 grams cumin (ground seeds)
- 12 grams coriander (ground seeds)
- 10 grams mandarin orange peel
- 5 grams fenugreek seeds (ground)
- 5 grams fennel (ground seeds)
- 4 grams cinnamon
- 4 grams cayenne pepper
- 3 grams garlic powder
- 3 grams ginger powder
- 3 grams dill seed (ground)
- 2 grams allspice
- 2 grams cardamom (ground seeds)
- 2 grams cloves
- 2 grams star anise
- 2 grams sage
- 2 grams thyme
- 2 grams nutmeg
- 2 grams black pepper
- 2 grams bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Instructions
- If they aren't already in powder form, add the spices to a spice grinder and grind them into a powder.
- Mix the spices in a bowl to evenly distribute everything.
- Heat a frying pan over medium-low heat and add the vegetable oil and spices. Toast the spices while constantly stirring until the oil is evenly distributed and the spices are very fragrant (about 2-3 minutes).
- Transfer the Japanese curry powder out of the pan to let it cool to room temperature. Store the curry powder in a non-reactive airtight container until you're ready to use it.
M says
Do you recommend we buy the Gaban curry powder or curry powder kit?
Marc Matsumoto says
I think the kit makes a more fragrant curry powder, but it could also just be because it's pan-roasted more recently than the stuff that's been premixed (which is presumably roasted at the factory).
Ghüs says
After making this blend with slight changes, I think there's slightly more fenugreek in the commercial blends available in the US, but this is a helpful frame of reference and it has always been a goal of mine to make a curry powder from scratch.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Ghüs, if you're comparing this to S&B it does have a different flavor profile. This is based on Gaban's curry powder (a subsidiary of House Foods) which is the other large spice company in Japan. Hope you're able to tweak it to get it a blend that works best for you.
Surati says
I just made a batch of this, after I pan roast it in the oil. How long will it keep, and what is the best way to store it ? because I might not use it all for several months. Would it be best to not pan roast it, till I want to use it in a recipe ?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Surati, it's not really one of those things that will be fine and then suddenly expire. Any spice is going to degrade over time so the question is at what point has the fragrance degraded to the point where it's no longer usable. I've stored this for as long as 6 months in a sealed container in a cool dark place and it's still had a strong curry aroma. As for roasting it ahead of time vs when you use it, it's up to you, but I find it takes a few days after roasting the spices together for the aromas to meld. If you're going to roast it each time, you'll want to factor in getting it roasted a few days in advance.
J says
I made this a year or so ago and kept it in the fridge. Is it still safe?
Marc Matsumoto says
As long as there isn't any mold growing on it should be safe, but it may not be as fragrant as it was when you made it.
shuba says
Hi, I found this blog and this wonderful curry powder recipe when I was looking for a well-made Japanese curry powder. Looking at the ingredients, I feel like this would be the closest to the one I had at this marvelous Japanese udon place. I just need one thing clarified - is mandarin peel the same as dried mandarin peel, often used in Chinese medicine and cooking? If this is unavailable, can I add fresh zest to approximate the citrus flavors?
Thank you!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Shuba, sorry for the slow response. We can get powdered dried mandarin peel here in Japan which is the zest that has been dried and ground into a powder. I haven't tried grinding the kind used for Chinese medicine. As for using fresh zest, that will not work because it will add water to your curry powder which will make it clump and the moisture will likely make it spoil. You could zest and then dry the zest in a low temperature oven.
Surati says
I could not find any dried mandarin peel at any of the natural food store or Asian stores. So I went to my local accupuncturist office and they kindly gave me some. ( I had to get creative )
Doug Quinn says
Thank you so much for posting the Japanese Curry spice recipe. Some of the ingredients surprised me, particularly the tangerine skins and dill seeds, but the taste was exactly what I have been trying to replicate for years.
Marc says
You're welcome Doug! As someone who also spent years trying to replicate it I was surprised by some of the same ingredients, so I'm happy to hear this was helpful! Thanks for taking the time to let me know!
fati says
hi! is the sage and allspice absolutely mandatory or can it be skipped? unfortunately even in south Asia, its proving to be very difficult for me to find either of those. also, it doesn't say whether you mean dried coriander leaves or coriander seeds.
s&b curry blocks are a very expensive and rare find but i enjoy the taste and convenience. i tried a Japanese curry powder recipe from a different Japanese cooking blog but it was far too heavy, smoky and reminded me of haleem and nihari and had a very different profile from that s&b taste.
Marc says
Hi Fati, it's the combination of all of these spices that make the taste of Japanese curry. You could certainly leave them out if you want, but it will not taste the same. I spent years trying to make my own blend and it was never quite right because it was missing some of the herbs and aromatics.
As for the coriander it's ground coriander seed (in the US "coriander" usually refers to the seeds while "cilantro" is used for the leaves). The cumin, fenugreek, fennel, and dill are also seeds.
S says
One day can you post tsp/tbsp amounts (I'm a Brit, I use metric for everything but spices). I don't own a fancy scale (I think it's the margin of error that's the problem), so it doesn't measure light ingredients such as spices well. Until then I'll trial and error my way, to doctor Anglo Indian curry powder 🙂
Marc says
Most scales are accurate down to 1 grams so you should be able to get within +/- .4 grams of your target (20% margin of error). It's not ideal, but it will probably be closer than using spoons which can have a margin of error as high as 30%. Also, I use a scale that cost around 3000 JPY (16 GBP) that's accurate down to .1 grams so you may want to try and look for a scale with higher precision.
Kathy Stroup says
This is my third (fourth?) time making this. It is so delicious! I did find the original a little too spicy, so I adjusted the Cayenne pepper a bit. That's one thing I love about making my own spice blends. I can tailor it to my tastes. And if anyone has an allergy or aversion to a particular ingredient, you can just leave it out Guarantee that commercial spice blends won't do that!
Also, this is a great way to rotate the spices in you cupboard. That way your spices will always be fresh, and you won't have to throw any of them out. You'll save money, too, by not buying the commercially prepared mix. And if there are any spices in this blend that you don't normally cook with, you can search and find a recipe. Who knows, you might find a new favorite!
If you have trouble finding mandarin peel you can dry your own. It would be good to find some that don't have wax, like from a backyard tree or a farmers' market. It's really good in tea, too.
Valerie says
I couldn't find S&B powder locally but I had most of these ingredients and a mortar and pestle. The curry was good - thanks Marc!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Valerie, I'm happy to hear this worked out for you! There are so many uses for Japanese curry powder. https://norecipes.com/?s=japanese+curry+powder
Anna says
Well I got a lot of spices, because sometimes I love to cook indian, but this exceeds even my householf stockings. So I left out:
mandarin orange peel, fenugreek, fennel, cayenne pepper, cloves, star anise. The following because it doesn't occure to me why add them, it seems like pouring every strong spice into the mix, so I skipped them: dill, allspice (what is that), sage, thyme, nutmeg, bay leaves
I got wonderful tasting curry with a garam masala mix, Curry powder (I buy a british curry mix from a special shop that tastes diferent than the normal one and really good) and black pepper, but wanted to try yours because I run out of garam masala and it's never bad trying something new. I think this is too much spices for a normal cook and I don't think the the convenience curry roux got that much too because of the money. Perhaps you could make a lesser version? Don't get me wrong, but I think this is too much for the people.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Anna, you've basically left out all of the ingredients that make this curry powder Japanese. What you've made is a British curry powder. You're obviously welcome to make it how you please, but if you want a Japanese style curry powder you may want to just look for a can of pre-blended spices such as S&B (which contains all of these spices).
Sandi says
Hi Marc,
This spice blend sounds really good. We like a mild curry flavour, nothing too hot and spicy. My mother made a delicious beef curry stew. I use a mild block of curry, it also comes in medium and hot flavour, that dissolves into the liquid and makes good stew. I’ll have to try this spice blend because I don’t always have it my cupboard, whenever I want to make stew. I wonder if it tastes similar to this spice blend?
Marc Matsumoto says
Thanks Sandi! I think you might be referring to instant roux blocks. They include not only the spices but all the seasoning and thickening ingredients to make the curry. They taste good, but I've tried to stay away from these lately as they are loaded with saturated fat, corn syrup, and MSG. This curry powder alone won't be enough to make curry, but I have a recipe for making Japanese curry from scratch (using this powder) which there's a link for in the headnotes.
Jane H. says
S&B posted this info. (below) at their site. I was a child in the 1950's so I suspect this was the brand my mother (a Japanese native) would have used. She did some of her grocery purchases in a Japanese shopping block back in Salt Lake City, UT. It was among my favorite dishes she made. I should make it soon (don't know how my son would react to it).
"The recipe loved since the debut of S&B Curry Powder in 1923."
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Jane, thanks for sharing! My mom emigrated to the US in the 1970's and we always had a can of S&B at home. They're Japan's largest spice company and they seem to have the best availability outside of Japan. According to S&B's Japanese website, they started selling commercial sized curry powder in 1923, but it wasn't until 1930 they started selling a powder with seasonings added for home use.
Wendy says
Have you tried toasting the spices in the oven? Or, will the oil and spices not blend correctly?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Wendy, whether you toast them in the pan or an oven, the spices are all powdered so there is no room for air to circulate between the grains of spice. This means you need to constantly stir it in order to get to to toast evenly. You could do it in the oven, but you'll need to leave the door oven and be stirring it constantly, so I think it would probably be a lot easier to just do it in a pan.
Kathy says
Boy does my house smell good right now! This is my first experience with Japanese curry, and I can already tell how different this blend is to Indian or Thai curries. I can't wait to get this into a recipe, but I will, since you recommend to! It's high time I tried this iconic dish. Thanks!
Marc Matsumoto says
Wow that was quick! Version 4 of of my curry recipe is still the way I make it when I have time, but I'm going to be shooting a 30 minute curry (as opposed to 3 hours) recipe this week (it will probably go up next Sunday).
Marc Matsumoto says
BTW, I use Japanese curry powder for any recipe that calls for curry powder. The flavor is more complex due to all the extra spices. If you like the taste of curry, it's also a good addition in a lot of unexpected places. I'll dust it on meats before grilling, marinade chicken with this, salt and yogurt, add a bit to a pot of chili, use it for pilaf, dust it on popcorn, etc.