Francesca's Spices - Japanese curry spice blend, 50g
The history of Japanese curry is relatively recent, dating back around 150 years, when it is believed to have been introduced to Japan by military advisers from the British Empire as an efficient way to feed large numbers of troops.
The flavour of curry was evidently well received and quickly spread throughout the country. By 1906, a company in Japan was already producing instant curry for home cooking. Since then, its popularity has continued to grow, and today the shelves of shops and supermarkets are filled with packets of pre-packaged instant curry, which resemble large solid bars of chocolate that melt during cooking.
But what makes this preparation different from other curries?
As the Japanese are not accustomed to eating spicy food, Japanese curry is a particularly well-balanced, aromatic and mildly sweet blend of herbs and spices. It is thicker than other types of curry because the sauce is always thickened with a roux (made with rice flour or potato starch). It is widely available in blocks or as a ready-made sauce, but the powdered mix is relatively uncommon.
In addition to being a rich blend — made up of as many as 18 ingredients — Japanese curry has one especially distinctive element: dried mandarin peel, which gives it a truly unique character.


