00:00Five layers of umami in one spoonful. This soup curry stacks dashi,
00:04seared pork, tomato and two secret ingredients into a broth so aromatic
00:09your kitchen will smell unreal. Let me show you every step.
00:13If you'd like a printable version of this recipe to keep in your kitchen,
00:17just google soup curry study to find it. First things first, let's get our aromatics prepped.
00:23Take your onion, celery and carrot and dice them down to about 2 to 3 mm pieces.
00:30We want them fine enough to practically melt into the base later.
00:34If you've got a food processor that works too, just pause carefully.
00:39We're going for a fine dice here, not a paste.
00:42While you're at it, get your dashi stock ready before anything hits the heat.
00:48Homemade awasedashi is the quiet Japanese soul behind this whole dish.
00:52A tea bag style dashi packet works great too. Instant dashi granules are okay in a pinch,
00:58but they bring extra salt and flavour with them.
01:01Alright, here's where things get a little unexpected.
01:05We're making a Japanese soup curry, but we're borrowing an Italian technique.
01:10Slide 15 grams of unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil into a cold pan.
01:16Then set over low to low medium heat.
01:19Once those fat melt together, add in all of your finely diced onion, celery and carrot.
01:26Give everything a gentle stir, pop a lid on and let this mixture sweat for about 30 minutes,
01:32stirring every few minutes to make sure nothing starts to brown.
01:36If you already keep sofrito in your freezer from Italian cooking nights,
01:41feel free to skip this whole step and use about 150 grams of that instead.
01:46That sofrito window is prime times, let's use it wisely.
01:51Start by seasoning your 6 chicken drumsticks and 150 grams of pork belly chunks with half teaspoon of salt.
02:00As for the pork belly, if you can't find it,
02:02spare ribs are a tested and delicious alternative that become meltingly tender after simmering.
02:08Pork shoulder chunks also work.
02:11If you're using shell and shrimp, peel all 10 of them,
02:14de-vein them by running a shallow cut along the back and removing the dark vein.
02:19Then rinse and pat them dry.
02:22Set those aside.
02:23It seems a lot, but this recipe makes about 8 servings.
02:28Next, grate your garlic and ginger now so they're ready the moment we need them.
02:33About 1 tablespoon of each.
02:36Now for the tomatoes.
02:37Remove the stem end from each of your two medium large ripe tomatoes
02:42and score a shallow cross on the bottom.
02:45Lower them into boiling water for just 10 to 30 seconds.
02:49Then transfer them immediately to ice water to stop the cooking.
02:54See how the skins are already pulling away?
02:56Just slip them right off with your fingers.
02:59Satisfying, right?
03:00Now, why bother peeling?
03:03In testing unpeeled tomatoes left messy little skin curls floating all through the broth.
03:09Peeled tomatoes gave a noticeably cleaner, more refined texture.
03:13That said, the skin does hold some concentrated nutrients,
03:18so it's a texture versus nutrition trade-off.
03:21This step is entirely optional.
03:23You'll call.
03:24Once peeled, cut tomatoes into rough chunks and set them aside.
03:29Last bit of prep.
03:31Quarter your eggplants lengthwise.
03:33Slice the cabbage squash into 5mm half moons.
03:38And trim the green beans but leave them whole.
03:42Alright, time to build some flavour.
03:44Heat a thin film of neutral oil in your large pot of medium-high heat until it shimmers.
03:50Lay the salted chicken drumsticks and pork belly pieces in a single layer.
03:54If your pan's surface is not big enough, do them in two batches.
03:59Let them sizzle completely undisturbed for 2-3 minutes until a golden brown crust forms on the bottom.
04:06Then flip and repeat on the remaining sides.
04:10Once everything is evenly browned, transfer the meat to a container.
04:14And whatever you do, do not wash the pot.
04:18Those browned bits stuck to the bottom are flavour gold.
04:21By now, your sofrito should be beautifully soft and fragrant.
04:25Transfer it straight into the same pot you seared meat in, right on top of all the fond.
04:32Stir in your 1 tablespoon of grated garlic, 1 tablespoon of grated ginger,
04:383 tablespoons of Japanese-style curry powder,
04:41half teaspoon of ground cumin, and half tablespoon of dried basil.
04:47A quick note on the curry powder.
04:49Japanese curry powder like this SMB's iconic red can has a milder, slightly sweeter profile
04:56compared to regular curry blends.
04:59If you can't find it, a standard curry powder works just fine.
05:03The spice profile will lean a little hotter, but you will still get a satisfying result.
05:10Cook this over medium heat, stirring constantly until that raw sharp edge disappears
05:16and the mixture smells deeply aromatic, about 60-90 seconds.
05:22But watch carefully here, the ground spices can scorch within seconds
05:26if your heat is even a touch too high.
05:29If you see any darkening or catch a whiff of something accurate and bitter,
05:33immediately add a splash of water to cool the pan down.
05:37Now add your peeled tomato chunks along with half teaspoon of salt,
05:42and stir everything together.
05:44Use your spatula to crush tomatoes against the side of the pot as they soften,
05:49breaking them down into a rough pulp.
05:52Continue cooking over medium heat, crushing and stirring,
05:56until this mixture reduces to a thick paste-like consistency, about 8-10 minutes.
06:02You will know it's ready when you can drag your spatula across the bottom of the pot,
06:07and actually see the surface for a moment before the paste flows back together.
06:12That's our target.
06:13Pour in your 1 litre of dashi stock, and scrape up every single brown bit clinging to the pot bottom.
06:20That fond is concentrated flavour just waiting to dissolve into the broth.
06:25Stir in half tablespoon of Chinese style chicken bouillon powder,
06:28and 1 teaspoon of soy sauce.
06:30Then bring everything to a gentle boil.
06:34A quick heads up on the bouillon powder.
06:36Concentration varies by brand.
06:38The one used here calls for 1 teaspoon per 200 millilitres.
06:43So check your label.
06:44If yours is more concentrated, say 1 teaspoon per 300,
06:50use a touch less to avoid over-salting.
06:53Less concentrated, a little more.
06:55Now while the broth simmers, preheat your oven to 220 degrees Celsius.
07:01A range of prepared eggplant, kabocha slices, and green beans on a sheet pan in a single layer.
07:09Brush them lightly with oil, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
07:14Authentic Sapporo soup curry shops traditionally deep-fry their vegetable toppings,
07:19but let's be honest, heating up a whole pot of oil at home just for some vegetable toppings feels like
07:26a lot.
07:27Oven roasting was my tested alternative with far less mess and effort, and air-fry works here too.
07:35Roast for 15 minutes or until the edges caramelize and the vegetables are tender when pierced with a knife.
07:42Once the broth is bubbling, reduce the heat to maintain a lazy simmer.
07:47We want occasional bubbles breaking the surface, not a rolling boil.
07:51Return the seared chicken and pork belly to the pot, nestling them into the broth.
07:55Tuck in a bay leaf, then cover and let everything simmer gently for 20 minutes.
08:02When about 2 minutes remain on your timer, add the prepared shrimp to the pot and replace the lid.
08:09Now taste test time.
08:10Grab a spoon and try the broth.
08:12This is your moment to fine tune.
08:15If it's tasting a little under-seasoned, you've got two moves.
08:19Either continue cooking with the lid off to reduce and concentrate the flavours,
08:24or add a splash more soy sauce for extra saltiness and depth.
08:28Go slow and taste as you adjust.
08:31You can always add more but you can't take it away.
08:35Alright, here's the part that's going to make people say what's in this.
08:39Remove the pot from the heat entirely and then stir in a quarter teaspoon of instant coffee powder,
08:46one teaspoon of blueberry jam, and half teaspoon of garam masala.
08:50These are the hidden flavours that add complexity without announcing themselves.
08:57The instant coffee deepens the roasted, toasty notes already built by the mailer to see it.
09:03The blueberry jam provides a subtle fruity sweetness that quietly balances the spice heat.
09:09You'd never guess it was there, but you'd miss it if it wasn't.
09:14And the garam masala comes in right at the end, to refresh and lift the aromatic top notes,
09:21like a final split of perfume on the dish.
09:25Nobody will be able to pinpoint them, but everyone will notice the depth.
09:30Now for the showstopper moment, ladle the curry broth into the bowls,
09:35then arrange the chicken and pork belly so they're partially submerged but still visible.
09:41Nestle the roasted vegetables around the proteins.
09:44Add a halved soft-boiled egg.
09:47Scatter a few celery leaves on top for a puff of freshness and add any other garnishes you like.
09:55Serve immediately alongside steamed Japanese short grain rice.
09:59And here's a favourite leftover hack.
10:02Pour hot reheated curry over a bowl of fresh steamed rice,
10:06top it with melty shredded cheese and stir everything together.
10:11It's my favourite way to use the leftover soup in Zosui style.
10:15A bit like a Japanese rice porridge meets curry and it is dangerously good.
10:20And there you have it, my version of Japanese soup curry.
10:24A fragrant, spice-warmed broth with 5 layers of umami depth,
10:27tender-boning chicken and rich pork belly,
10:30roasted vegetables with caramelised edges,
10:33and those secret finishing touches that make every spoonful a little mysterious.
10:40Want even more delicious recipes?
10:42Grab my free cookbook from the link in the description.
10:46Okay, let's go over the ingredients one more time.
10:49And if you're ready to cook, grab the written instructions
10:51by clicking the full recipe box with a picture that's about to pop up on your screen.
11:07That's a wrap!
11:08You can find the full printable version of this recipe on my website,
11:11linked right here on the screen.
11:13It has all the extra details to help you get perfect every time.
11:17If you enjoyed this, check out my Ultimate Playlist.
11:20And next week, I'm making Taco Rice.
11:23Hit subscribe so you don't miss it.
11:26See you then!
11:26This is a wrap!
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