Today, we are taking a little detour from Korean food to visit a beloved classic. Have you ever tried the famous Japanese curry chain, CoCo Ichibanya?
When I first tried it, I found it fascinating that the curry itself was smooth, almost like a rich gravy, serving as the perfect canvas for all sorts of amazing deep-fried toppings. It didn't take long for me to fall completely in love with it!
However, when I was living in London, it was quite difficult to find this specific style of comforting Japanese curry. So, I did what any food lover would do: I recreated it in my own kitchen based on my taste bud memory. This versatile recipe features a secret ingredient that perfectly mimics that deep, restaurant-quality flavor. Let's get cooking!
After many delicious experiments, I’ve finally cracked the code! This recipe uses a secret ingredient that perfectly mimics that deep, rich, restaurant-quality flavor of Coco Ichibanya. It tastes exactly like the real thing!
🛒 Ingredients (Serves 4-6)
The Curry Base:
Oil: 1 Tbsp (Vegetable oil or butter)
Minced Garlic: 1/2 Tbsp
Onion: 1/2 (Roughly chopped)
Carrot: 1/2 (Roughly chopped)
Water: 600ml
Curry Roux: 100g of S&B Golden Curry blocks (I highly recommend the 'Hot' version!)
Jihye's Secret Seasoning:
HP Sauce or A1 Original Sauce: 1 Tbsp (This adds that complex, fruity tanginess!)
Organic Raw Sugar: 1 Tbsp
Toppings & Base:
Rice: White rice or a sweet brown rice mix
Garnish: Chopped salad onions (green onions/scallions)
Your Choice of Topping: Deep-fried pork cutlet (Tonkatsu), sausages, hamburger steak, grilled vegetables, or thinly sliced shabu-shabu beef. The sky is the limit!
👩🍳 Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Sauté the Aromatics Place a pot over medium-low heat and add your oil (or butter). Add the minced garlic, chopped carrot, and onion. Sauté them gently until the onions turn a beautiful light brown color.
2. Boil and Soften Pour in the 600ml of water. Put the lid on and let it cook for about 15 minutes until the carrots are completely soft.
3. Blend for that "CoCo Ichi" Smoothness Turn off the heat. Use a hand blender (immersion blender) or carefully transfer the mixture to a regular blender. Blend everything until it becomes a completely smooth liquid. This step is crucial for getting that silky, gravy-like CoCo Ichibanya texture!
4. Melt the Curry Blocks Bring the smoothed base back to low heat. Add the 100g of S&B Golden Curry blocks. Stir continuously and well until the blocks are completely melted into the soup.
5. Add the Secret Ingredients Here comes the magic! Add 1 Tbsp of HP Sauce (or A1 Sauce) and 1 Tbsp of raw sugar. Stir well. This combination gives the curry that deep, slightly tangy, and sweet restaurant flavor.
6. Plate and Serve! Place a generous scoop of rice on a plate and add your desired toppings. Pour that gorgeous, silky curry sauce all over. Finally, sprinkle with chopped green onions. Enjoy!
If you try this secret copycat recipe at home, please let me know how it turned out in the comments! Don't forget to subscribe to my blog for more delicious recipes from my kitchen to yours.
Have a wonderful day!
Mahalo! 🌺
Comments
Post a Comment