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.