Ultimate Japanese Braised Beef Curry (Karē-Raisu Inspired)

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A Culinary Journey Through Tokyo’s Shinjuku After Dark

Walking through the neon-lit streets of Shinjuku at night, you feel the city come alive in a symphony of sights, sounds, and scents. Towering billboards flicker with animated characters, casting shifting pools of color onto the wet pavement. The rhythmic chime of pedestrian signals blends with the distant hum of pachinko parlors, their metallic clatter punctuated by bursts of excited cheers.

A steady stream of people flows through the streets—salarymen in loosened ties, weary from a long day at work, chatting in low voices as they shuffle toward their favorite izakayas. Young couples weave through the crowd, their laughter mingling with the upbeat J-pop blasting from the open doors of gaming arcades. The occasional street performer plucks out a melancholic tune on a shamisen, momentarily stealing attention away from the buzzing cityscape.

Yakitori smoke curls through alleyways, mingling with the deep umami aroma of slow-simmered curry drifting from hidden eateries. The scent of caramelized onions and simmering beef beckons you closer, promising warmth and indulgence. You pass a tiny shopfront with just enough room for a handful of diners, their faces illuminated by the soft golden glow of the kitchen. The chef moves with quiet precision, ladling thick, glossy curry over steaming bowls of rice. The air carries a promise of comfort—an irresistible invitation to step inside, where bowls of rich, soul-warming goodness await.

This dish is a love letter to both Japanese curry and slow-cooked comfort food. A fusion of flavors that transports you straight to those cozy, hidden curry shops. One bite, and you’ll be hooked.

Braised Beef Curry, inspired by Karē-Raisu, served with pickled ginger and freshly steamed rice.

A Look at Curry rice—Karē-Raisu’s History

When I traveled through Japan, one thing that truly caught me off guard was just how much the Japanese love curry. Curry rice—called Karē-Raisu in Japanese—is one of the country’s oldest fast-food dishes. Surprisingly, it wasn’t India that brought curry to Japan but the British, who introduced it in the late Edo period (1603–1868) from their colony. And, in true Japanese fashion, they transformed it into something uniquely their own.

Unlike its Indian ancestor, Japanese curry is thicker, milder, and slightly sweeter. It comes in endless variations, usually made with a combination of vegetables and meat, always served with rice. Over time, curry has become so deeply embedded in Japanese cuisine that it’s no longer considered a foreign import but a national comfort dish. And honestly? Karē-Raisu is the ultimate soul food—an absolute must for my table on a regular basis.

But since it was Sunday, and I was in the mood for some proper cooking, I decided to put a twist on the classic. I had been craving a hearty goulash for days, and suddenly, the idea hit me: why not merge the two? The result? A Karē-Raisu-inspired braised beef dish with all the richness of a slow-cooked stew and the unmistakable warmth of Japanese curry.

To go with it, I served finely shredded cabbage, the most addictive pickled ginger—Tsukemono ginger—and, of course, freshly steamed Japanese rice.

Utterly divine. Perfect for those colder days when you want nothing more than to stay inside, wrapped in the aroma of something deeply satisfying simmering away on the stove.

My Donabe Pot. A traditional Japanese Clay Pot, Bringing Magic to Your Dishes

For dishes like this, I swear by my Donabe pot. These traditional Japanese clay pots come in various styles, each designed for a specific cooking purpose. The one I use for braising is crafted to release steam slowly through a small vent in the lid, while the clay retains heat evenly, allowing flavors to develop beautifully. If you don’t have a Donabe, a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven will do the trick. Just leave the lid off towards the end of cooking to thicken the sauce into a luxuriously rich consistency.

Japanese Braised Beef Curry (Karē-Raisu Inspired)

Ingredients
  

  • 750 g beef brisket
  • 5 cm fresh ginger
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 sweet pear if available, use an Asian Nashi pear
  • 1 red onion
  • A generous splash of Shaoxing wine Chinese cooking rice wine
  • A few drops of Japanese rice vinegar
  • Soy sauce
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 tsp coriander seed
  • 1 tsp anise seeds
  • 2 tbsp allspice berries
  • 2 black cardamom pods
  • 3 star anise
  • red chili flakes to personal taste
  • freshly cracked black pepper and salt to personal taste
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil
  • Water
  • 1 bunch of scallions
  • 1/4 head of pointed cabbage
  • 3 cups Japanese short-grain rice e.g., Yume Nishiki Premium
  • Tsukemono ginger

Instructions
 

  • Peel the pear, onion, garlic, and ginger. Finely dice the onion and garlic, then grate the ginger and pear.
  • Heat oil in a pan and sear the beef in batches until browned on all sides. Transfer the seared meat to the braising pot.
  • In the same pan, sauté the onion, garlic, and ginger until fragrant and translucent, then add them to the beef. Heat the braising pot.
  • Deglaze the pan with a generous splash of Shaoxing wine, letting it bubble up before pouring it over the beef.
  • Add two glasses of water to the pot and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and let it cook gently for 2–2.5 hours, stirring occasionally. Add more water if the liquid reduces too much.
  • Lightly crush the whole spices with a knife and place them in a spice sachet. Add to the beef after about 2 hours.
  • Meanwhile, rinse the rice in cold water until the water runs clear. Let it soak in 4.5 cups of water for at least 20 minutes before cooking in a rice cooker or a well-sealed pot according to package instructions.
  • After 2.5 hours, remove the lid and let the sauce reduce until it thickens into a luscious, velvety consistency. The beef should be fall-apart tender.
  • Season with soy sauce and a few drops of rice vinegar to balance the flavors.
  • Slice the cabbage into ultra-thin strips and finely chop the scallions.
  • Remove the spice sachet, give everything a final taste adjustment, and serve.
  • Plate up the braised beef in small bowls, garnishing with scallions and serving alongside shredded cabbage, Tsukemono ginger, and steamed rice.

Notes

いただきます (Itadakimasu)!

A Time-Saving Tip

If you’re short on time or don’t want to shop for too many ingredients, high-quality Japanese curry blocks are a fantastic alternative. They melt into a rich, flavorful sauce, making the entire process quicker while still delivering that comforting umami depth.

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