Japanese vegetable curry. I grew up eating Japanese curry rice; my mom would sauté beef chunks, add onion and potato, and then fold in S&B Golden Curry Sauce Mix: http://www.sbfoods-worldwide.com/products/curry/retail/america_page.html#a3. This mix is a curry roux packaged into semi-firm blocks, and it comes in Mild to Very Hot versions; none of them is particularly spicy.
As an adult, I often make this curry vegetarian, and I like to experiment with different ingredients (see Variations below for suggestions). The instructions on the box are straightforward, but here is what we do at home for an 8.4 oz box of S&B (we use Hot). Step 1: Heat up a large Dutch oven with 2 tsp vegetable oil, then sauté 2 potatoes and 3 carrots (peeled and cut into ½ inch chunks) on medium heat for about 2 mins. Step 2: add 2 onions and 4-5 stalks celery, each chopped into ½ inch chunks, sauté for another 2 mins. Then we break up 8.4 oz S&B curry roux blocks into smaller chunks and mix with 6 cups hot water, and then fold the slurry into the pot, making sure everything is coated. (I often split this slurry into two 3-cup increments, since 6 cups of hot slurry can be challenging to pour into the pot.) Step 3: Bring the curry mix to a mild boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until vegetables are tender (about 20 mins). Serve over short-grain rice. (Mar. 2015)
Variation 1: Prior to Step 1, heat 2 tsp toasted sesame oil in the Dutch oven, then add 6 fresh shiitake mushrooms (or dried shiitakes that have been reconstituted) cut into ½ inch slices. Sauté on medium heat until fragrant (about 30 seconds), then continue with Step 1, omitting the 2 tsp vegetable oil.
Variation 2: If you have any precooked ingredients (such as roasted cauliflower or parboiled cashews – see Note below), dried legumes (lentils, pigeon peas), or frozen vegetables (such as chopped okra or chopped spinach), add about ¾ cup to 1 cup total to the pot at the start of Step 3.
Note: To make parboiled cashews; place ¾ cup dried raw cashews in a small (2 quart) pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a roiling simmer and cook uncovered until tender (about 12-15 mins). Drain the cashews, discarding the water. The cashews now are ready for use.
Cooking Adventures 