About curry - History of Japanese curry

  • Curry was first introduced to diners during a period of time known as the Meiji era, which took place from 1869 to 1913. Cooking with curry originated in India, which at the time was under the administration of the British. The British obtained the recipes and took them back to England.

    From England, curry spread throughout the world, gaining acceptance as a new way to serve meat flavored with a curried sauce and enjoyed with rice on the side. Curry powder, used to make curry sauce, was first developed in England. This powder contains a mixture of various spices and makes cooking curry-flavored meals in the home extremely simple.

    When curried dishes made their way to Japan around the end of the 1800s, they were introduced and presented as a British cuisine. The Japanese developed their own unique style of curry served with rice, bread, or noodles. This versatile meal was considered a luxury in those days. The new, exciting taste soon spread from homes to restaurants. The meal was referred to by one of two names: raisu karee or karee raisu.

    The recipe for curry served over rice originated around 1910 and has nearly remained the same since. The curried sauce, thickened with flour and containing more vegetables than meat, is served over rice. It is often accompanied with a relish (usually a chopped daikon radish pickled in soy sauce).

    Before World War II, curry on rice turned out to be a convenient meal for the military, since it can be cooked in large quantities and offers a nutritional balance. This dish only became a household meal after World War II due to an important development: a mixture of curry spices and flour used for "instant" cooking. Curry became popular and available in restaurants and supermarkets in the late nineteen sixties.

    Curry is also a staple of the armed forces in Japan. It’s a tradition to serve karē raisu for dinner every Friday on Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ships, a carryover from the Imperial Navy days. Each JMSDF ship prides itself on having its own unique curry recipe, some of which are featured on the JMSDF’s official website.