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–+ servings

Japanese Dark Seafood Curry

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Author Yuto Omura
Servings 5 people

Ingredients 
 

Part 1 (Marinating, Infusing & Prep)

  • 100 g tuna steak
  • 3 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu) to marinate
  • 1 onion thinly sliced
  • 1 tbsp olive oil for caramelized onions
  • 10 large shrimp shells on
  • 2 pinches salt for cleaning
  • 1 tsp cornstarch for cleaning
  • 2 tbsp olive oil for shrimp oil

Part 2 (Browning Ingredients)

  • 100 g scallops or mixed seafood
  • 2 potatoes medium, peeled and roughly cut into bitesize pieces
  • 1 carrot peeled and roughly cut into bitesize pieces

Part 3 (Roux)

  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp ginger root minced
  • 2 ½ tbsp curry powder
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp squid ink optional

Part 4 (Curry & Secret Ingredients)

  • 850 ml dashi stock
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tbsp white wine
  • ½ tsp garam masala
  • ½ tsp instant coffee powder
  • ½ tbsp honey
  • ½ tbsp blueberry jam
  • ½ tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Instructions 

Part 1 (Marinating, Infusing & Prep - 30 mins)

  • Cut 100 g tuna steak into cubes and place them in a bowl with 3 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu), cover and store in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Remove the shells of 10 large shrimp and set aside both for later. Thinly slice 1 onion.
    4 glass bowls with shrimp shells, deshelled shrimp, thinly sliced onion and marinated raw tuna on a white background
  • Start heating a pan on medium with 1 tbsp olive oil. Once hot, add the sliced onions. Stir every few minutes to encourage even browning.
    Thinly sliced onion in a pan with oil
  • Add a sprinkle of salt and mix well. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 20-30 minutes or until deep brown and caramelized. Stir occasionally to prevent burning and add a sprinkle of water if it starts to stick.
    Adding water to caramelizing onions
  • Devein the shrimp and place them in a bowl. Rub with 2 pinches salt and 1 tsp cornstarch, then set aside for 5 minutes.
    coating shrimps with flour in a mixing bowl
  • While you wait, heat a wok, pot or large frying pan on low. Add 2 tbsp olive oil and the shrimp shells. Leave to gently infuse for 10-15 minutes on the lowest heat, then remove the shells.
    frying shrimp shells in oil in a wok
  • Wash the shrimp with fresh water and pat them dry with kitchen paper.
    drying washed raw shrimp with kitchen paper
  • Use any waiting time to cut the vegetables and measure the rest of the ingredients. Once all of these elements are complete, move onto the next part.

Part 2 (Browning Ingredients - 5 minutes)

  • Take the pot with the shrimp infused oil and increase the heat to medium. Remove the tuna from the soy sauce and add it to the pan, save the leftover soy sauce for later. Add the shrimp, 100 g scallops, 2 potatoes and 1 carrot and cook until the seafood starts to change color and looks opaque.
    Raw shrimp, marinated tuna cubes, potato, carrot and mixed seafood in a large wok
  • Once done, transfer the seafood and vegetables to a plate for later. We will reuse the pot in the next steps.
    Shrimp, mixed seafood, tuna, potato and carrot browned in a large wok with wooden spatula

Part 3 (Roux - 10 minutes)

  • Return the pot to the heat on medium-low and melt 2 tbsp butter. Add 3 cloves garlic and 1 tbsp ginger root (finely diced or minced) and fry for about 1 minute or until fragrant.
    butter melting in a pot with finely diced garlic
  • Add the caramelized onions from earlier along with 2 ½ tbsp curry powder, 3 tbsp all-purpose flour and 1 tsp squid ink.
    melted butter, garlic, caramelized onions, curry powder and squid ink with flour to make roux base for seafood curry
  • Mix thoroughly until it forms a thick paste.
    squid ink curry roux in a wok for seafood curry

Part 4 (Curry & Secret Ingredients - 25 minutes)

  • Gradually add 850 ml dashi stock while stirring continuously to smooth out any lumps. Once smooth, add the seafood and vegetables back into the pot along with 1 bay leaf. Simmer for 15 minutes.
    Mixed seafood and vegetables in broth with bayleaf to make seafood curry
  • Add you choice of secret ingredients for extra depth. I add 2 tbsp white wine, ½ tsp garam masala, ½ tsp instant coffee powder, ½ tbsp honey, ½ tbsp blueberry jam and ½ tbsp Worcestershire sauce.
    simmering seafood curry in a large wok with added secret ingredients for depth
  • Simmer for another 5-10 minutes or until thickened to your liking.
    squid ink seafood curry in a large wok thickened
  • Serve with white rice and enjoy!
    seafood curry and rice on a white plate