Japanese Curry Bolognese
Sometimes in the winter, I'll have these wild dreams of sinking into a jacuzzi full of Vermont curry or taking a bubble bath and looking down and I'm in a bath tub of Italian bolognese. Maybe it's my brain's fight or flight response when I'm sleeping in my bedroom with a radiator that hasn't worked for the last three years. As a person who truly thinks with his stomach, this recipe is a combination of comforting Japanese curry with warm Italian bolognese. The avengers of comforting sauces in the form of Japanese curry roux combined with a loose Italian bolognese to make a warm pasta dish that feels like you're being hugged by two grandmas.
At a glance
Yield
4 servingsTime
2 hoursIngredients
Curry
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon Japanese curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
2 teaspoons white or yellow miso
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1, 13 oz can of coconut milk (about 1 2/3 cups)
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 large carrot (or two small to medium carrots), finely diced
1 large onion (or two small to medium onions), finely diced
1 pound ground pork
Pasta
1 pound dry spaghetti or noodle of your choice
Toppings
Scallions, finely chopped
Dill (I've been on a dill kick but this is optional!)
Sesame seeds
Extra flaky salt and pepper for seasoning
Preparation
Prep curry
In a large pot on medium heat, melt butter. Then add flour to the butter and mix until smooth and lightly browned, around 2-3 minutes or so. Add the remaining Japanese curry powder, cumin, cinnamon, kosher salt, sugar, miso, tomato paste, coconut milk, rice vinegar, and water. Continue to cook and stir until all the ingredients are incorporated and the curry mixture is smooth, then pour curry into a separate container and set aside. Wipe down the pot so you can use it for cooking the vegetables next.
Make curry bolognese
In a clean pot on medium high heat, sauté diced onions and carrots in a generous drizzle of olive oil. Cook until the onions are semi-soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add in ground pork and continue to cook until the pork becomes light brown in color. Add the curry sauce back into the pot and stir until incorporated. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer covered for 20 minutes.
Make pasta and assemble
Cook pasta according to package instructions. Strain the pasta place into bowls. Once the curry bolognese is ready, remove from heat adjust any seasonings like salt or acid. Ladle sauce onto the bowls of pasta and mix. Top with scallions, dill (if using), sesame seeds, and serve!
5 Comments
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Curry
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon Japanese curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
2 teaspoons white or yellow miso
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1, 13 oz can of coconut milk (about 1 2/3 cups)
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 large carrot (or two small to medium carrots), finely diced
1 large onion (or two small to medium onions), finely diced
1 pound ground pork
Pasta
1 pound dry spaghetti or noodle of your choice
Toppings
Scallions, finely chopped
Dill (I've been on a dill kick but this is optional!)
Sesame seeds
Extra flaky salt and pepper for seasoning
Replies
What's the best substitute for coconut milk in a dish like this? My partner can't eat coconut or dairy, but I'm hoping to make this and still preserve the creaminess.
I would sub with those oat milk creamers that are usually used for coffee! They have a nice creaminess to it and are dairy free / coconut free. Any nut milk creamer would work too!
Made this on Sunday, and this is definitely the meal that keeps on giving! Much more than 4 portions for us. We've had it as slightly-modified leftovers with cheese, with a bit of marinara, with an egg and a bit of parmesan, so many variations on a delicious and comforting meal. Really enjoying all your recipes!
What type of noodles did you use in this picture?
I used bucatini! I like a good thick-ish noodle personally
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