Japanese Curry Cubes (Roux Cubes)
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This is originally mentioned in THIS Instagram Post.
This recipe is based off of Just One Cookbook, but with minor adjustments and in metric for ease with my kitchen scale. :)
Yield: 12-18 cubes · Cooking: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
200g/14.5 tbsp butter, softened
200g/1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
Can opt for gluten-free flour at a 1:1 ratio
85g/3 oz curry powder, or 1 whole tin of curry powder
I like this brand of curry powder.
Directions:
Before you start, make sure your butter is softened. If your butter is not softened, here’s a way to soften butter in less than 1 minute!
Weigh out your flour and butter into the pan you plan on making the roux in. I like using a 3.5qt stainless steel pan so whisking doesn’t damage the pan.
On a low heat, aggressively stir to combine the flour and butter mixture until thick and mixed thoroughly.
For the next 20 minutes, continuously mix to combine the roux.
At the 10 minute mark, small bubbles will form throughout, it might lightly bubble, and the mixture will loosen up to a more liquid consistency.
At the 15 minute mark, there will be less bubbles and the color will slightly darken.
At the 20 minute mark, there will be significant darkening of the roux to a soft amber color.
Turn off the heat.
Add in the whole container of your curry powder.
Use your whisk to stir aggressively until mixed in fully. This will take about 1 minute.
While the mixture is still warm and fluid, move the roux to a parchment lined container to cool and harden. DO NOT COVER THIS MIXTURE, otherwise it will condense.
Keep on the countertop at room temperature until it is cool to the touch, then transfer to the fridge for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
Once solidified, remove from your container, cut into 1 oz cubes (~1’’x1’’), and transfer into an air tight container.
For use: add as many cubes as you’d like into your stew to make it into a curry, and salt the final dish to taste. I like to add 3-4 cubes into a 3 qt pot of curry, then add about ½ to 1 tbsp of salt depending on the contents of the curry stew. TASTE AND ADJUST!!!!!!
FAQ:
Q: Why did my roux turn out lumpy or separated?
This is a common problem. Mostly likely culprits: heat too high, non-continuous whisking, or butter not fully softened. You want the butter REALLY soft!
Q: How long do the curry blocks last?
A: These will be great in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3 months!
Q: Is there any reason why you add salt later, rather than add into the mixture?
A: This is for more control overall of your dish! Sometimes certain produce you put into the curry will be saltier or sweeter, so you might want to add total salt at the end instead of a total estimate of salt.
Q: Why do this roux from scratch instead of buying the pre-made curry cubes? I love the cubes!
A: Hell yeah, the cubes are awesome!
The spices in the tin one is stronger. So this is also a great way to have better ingredients over all, since the pre-packed cubes have stabilizers and more preservatives.
Like I said in the video, this is only worthwhile if:
You LOVE curry and really WANT TO taste the different
You WANT to try something new
You CARE about additives or extra ingredients in your foods
Otherwise, the commercially available curry cubes truly are great.
Q: Can you use coconut oil to make this vegan?
A: Yes, coconut oil is okay but will alter the flavor a touch! I’d recommend 1:1 neutral cooking oil or a plant-based butter. Note that the final texture might be different, but the application will still be 1:1!
Q: What [tool] did you use?
Everything I used in this video is here (Shop My).
