We usually make delicious Japanese curry rice from store-bought Japanese curry roux such as “Golden Curry”. This post is for people who love Japanese curry but cannot buy the curry roux for whatever reason. If you have the time to make your own roux from scratch, it is healthier and tastes better also.
How to cook Japanese curry?
Japanese people usually make curry sauce from store bought ready made curry roux. A popular brand is House Vermont curry or Golden Curry 
Curry roux from scratch
Although the store-bought Japanese curry roux such as “Golden curry” boxes seem to be readily available, it is still difficult for some people living outside of Japan to buy it. So I am happy to share this recipe.
Spice mix
We need spices for colour, fragrance, and uuumm “spiciness”. I use turmeric mostly for colour. For fragrance, I use cardamom, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, onion powder, garlic powder, nutmeg, and garam masala. And for spiciness, I use black pepper, ginger powder, chilli powder and curry powder.
How to make Japanese curry roux?
Once you have decided which species you are going to blend all together, you need to roast them over low heat in a non-stick frying pan till it becomes fragrant. Set the roasted blend aside. The next step is to add butter and flour to the mix. Melt the butter in a frying pan and add honey then add flour to combine them together over low heat.
When you add the flour, it may be a little lumpy, but if you keep stirring for about 15 minutes, it becomes smooth. Then add the roasted and aromatic spices to the roux. When the mixture has combined, place it into a container to set overnight in the refrigerator.
Storing Curry Roux
I wanted this homemade Japanese curry roux to look like the roux from the grocery stores. So I used a 12 x 12 x 5 cm (4.7 x 4.7 x 2 inch) 380ml in volume cling wrap lined container. After pouring the roux into the container, you fold the cling wrap over the top. Then make a score over the wrap so that when it is set, it is easily broken by hand just like store bought roux. You can see how I do this in my instructional video.
This will store for 2-3 weeks in the fridge and also you can freeze it. Keep it wrapped in the cling wrap and put it in a ziplock bag. This way it will store in the freezer for 2 months.
I would love to hear what you think about this recipe. If you liked the recipe, please rate it and leave a comment below. Also don’t forget to check out my other Japanese curry related recipes such as Chicken Katsu Curry, Japanese Beef curry, Curry Udon and Curry Pan (Curry bread).
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Japanese curry roux homemade 自家製カレー粉
Video
Ingredients
- 1 tsp turmeric *1
- 1 tsp cardamom
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp cloves
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp ginger powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 150 g butter
- 150 g plain (all purpose) flour
- 3 tbsp honey *2
Instructions
- Roast all selected spices in a non-stick frying pan over low heat for about 5 minutes till fragrant. Then set aside.
- Melt butter in a frying pan over low heat and add honey.
- Add flour into the frying pan and stir to combine butter and flour.
- Keep stirring for about 15 minutes. The mixture is lumpy at the beginning but will become smooth.
- Add roasted spices into the frying pan and combine them all together.
- When they are well combined, turn the heat off.
- Line container(s) with cling wrap and place the roux into the containers.
- Cover and wrap the curry roux with the cling wrap and make scores on them so that it easily breaks into pieces later.
- Place in the fridge overnight and allow to set.
- They will keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks. Or put them in a freezer ziplock bag and keep them in a freezer. It will keep a couple of months.
I love how you broke down the steps for making homemade Japanese curry roux! The tips on adjusting flavors were really helpful, and I can’t wait to try it with my favorite vegetables. Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe!
I loved this recipe! Making my own curry roux was surprisingly simple, and the flavor is incredible compared to store-bought. I appreciate the detailed steps and the tips on adjusting the spice levels. Can’t wait to try it with different ingredients! Thank you for sharing!
This homemade Japanese curry roux recipe looks fantastic! I love how simple and approachable the ingredients are. Can’t wait to try it out and customize with my favorite veggies and proteins. Thanks for sharing such a delightful recipe!
I just made your homemade Japanese curry roux, and it turned out amazing! The flavors are so rich and authentic. Thank you for sharing this recipe; it’s definitely going to become a staple in my kitchen!
This is awesome
Thank you Pops 😀
I never knew making my own Japanese curry roux could be so easy! The step-by-step instructions were super helpful, and the flavor combination sounds incredible. I can’t wait to try this recipe and customize it with my favorite veggies. Thank you for sharing!
I had a general question about using garam masala. Garam masala is the only ingredient that is a blend rather than an individual spice, and in most garam masala the base spices are already in the recipe. By adding some dashes of fennel, mace, anise and few others, would it really be necessary to include garam masala and replace that by adding little more of the individual spices?
Other than that, this looks like a fantastic recipe and I am about to give this recipe a try this coming weekend!
Thanks!
Thank you Randy, please let me know how your curry roux turned out 😀
This homemade Japanese curry roux recipe is fantastic! I love how you broke down the steps so clearly. Can’t wait to try it out—I’ve always wanted to make curry from scratch! Thank you for sharing!
I absolutely love the detailed step-by-step instructions you provided! I’ve always wanted to try making curry roux at home, and your tips make it seem so approachable. Can’t wait to give it a go this weekend! Thank you for sharing such a delicious recipe!
Thank you! Many of the curry blocks you can purchase at the store have pork in them and our family can’t eat pork. I made your recipe and now our family can enjoy curry dishes.
That’s fantastic! Thank you Lisa <3
I found your recipes just by chance: and I am so glad that I did. In our Cajun French family, the base for all our foods is a ROUX also! And to think, all these years, we thought it was exclusive to us!! I cooked the roux: low and slow. It came out perfectly as your instructions pointed out! I follow you on Pinterest now! Thank you so much for your time and energy in sharing with us your recipes! They are the best food I have ever eaten and will continue to eat!! Thank you!!
Thank you Cindy for lovely comment and 5 star rating 😀
Hello.
The taste of nutmeg and cloves is kind of overpowering the other spices in the curry I made with the roux following the recipe. Is there anything I could add to the curry to soften that?
Thank you
I made this recipe this weekend and it did not turn out very well. The recipe states to cook the roux for 15 minutes and I’m pretty sure if I had cooked it that long I would have ended up with a dry block of flour. The spice mix also overpowers the dish. I halved the cinnamon, nutmeg and clove and would honestly take it out all together because the clove and cinnamon were extremely fragrant in the dish and made it taste off.
The recipe also has absolutely no salt. I added what I thought was a good amount, but ended up mixing extra vegetable broth and salt in after adding it to the veggies and meat. I would say this recipe makes a good bit of roux and needs at least a tablespoon of salt or you could add some broth in addition to the butter.
When I tried to reconstitute the roux in my vegetables and meat it was difficult to mix because it was on the dryer side. I would say to add some water or broth or more butter to make it easier to mix into the vegetables/meat for the curry.
My husband loves Japanese curry but we have never made it as the pre-made cubes in the shops often contain MSG. I am eager to make it from scratch. We don’t eat dairy and avoid gluten however. Can we substitute oil for the butter and rice flour for wheat flour?
Hi Minnie, I have not made it myself with oil and rice flour but I think you can substitute.
would be nice to include how to make the roux into curry… Like how much of the roux to use, how much water and what vegetables etc.
Hi John, thank you for leaving the comment. There are many curry related recipes on my blog, please see those in the post which tells you more.
Loved the recipe but placing the warm roux in a cling wrap ( Made of petroleum ) is such a terrible idea.I placed it in a glass container and covered after I scored it and it came out fine without adding carcinogenic ingredients . Let’s get healthier a bit instead of wondering why many people even at younger age are getting cancer. It’s not that hard people!
Thank you for your great suggestion. When I update the recipe, I will use glass container and update photos. Thank you.
Hi Shihoko!
Thanks for the recipe. Am working on it. We don’t get all the spices in powder form in our groceries. Having a tough time making powders in small qty.
I hope the trouble is worth it. Will rate the recipe after trying it out.
Hi Nathline, which spices are you having difficulty to get?
Hello! Thanks for this wonderful recipe! Could I substitute the curry powder with more garam masala by any chance?
Hi Stephanie, I would add more cumin and tumeric instead of adding more garam masala 😀
The ingredients in curry powder are very different from those in garam masala. You have to use curry powder or prepare it at home from recipes on the internet. Always go for Indian recipes.
Can’t wait to try this recipe. I grew up eating Golden Curry! Just a quick question… is there any substitute for the cardamom that I can use in a pinch? I looked through the reviews/comments, but couldn’t find anything. Ty!
I tried the roux tonight my first time making it from scratch and it turned out amazing!
Nice flavor, and easy to store it and set up. Thanks so much! I
Thank you Nick for making it and leaving a lovely comment!