Hamburger Cauliflower Japanese Curry
This Hawaii-style curry is budget-friendly using ground beef and cooks up quickly, making it great for weeknight meals.
Equipment
- 1 large cutting board
- 1 chef's knife
- measuring cups and spoons
- 1 5-Quart pan or 11" chicken fryer
- 1 small stainless steel mesh strainer (optional)
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 small cauliflower or ½ extra large cauliflower, cut into small florets (5 to 6 cups)
- 2 tbsp olive oil or canola oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 4 cups water
- 4 blocks Japanese curry paste
- 1 tsp Japanese curry powder (add more for more spice)
- 5 ounces fresh spinach about 7 cups, packed (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the pan on medium high heat. Add oil and onion to the pan and saute for 2minutes, stirring frequently, until onions start to soften.
- Add the ground beef and cook for 3 to 4 minutes while breaking up the meat and stirring.
- Add cauliflower to the pan and stir until the ground beef is almost cooked through, about 2 minutes.
- Add water, cover, and turn heat up to high. Once the water is boiling, stir, lower the heat to medium, and cook for 3 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is softened to your preference.
- Add curry paste, and curry powder to pan. Stir to incorporate curry paste as it melts into the water. (Optional: you can place the curry blocks into a stainless steel metal strainer and lower it into the water. Using chopsticks or a spoon, stir the water and curry block inside the metal strainer until the curry is melted into the pot and repeat with each block.)
- Optional: Turn the heat off and add the spinach to the pot. Stir until the spinach is wilted (the residual heat from the sauce will cook the spinach).
- Serve with your favorite cooked rice.
Video
Notes
Tips and Tricks
What can we use instead of ground beef?
Ground turkey or ground chicken will also work in this recipe. However, ground beef provides a hearty meaty flavor that satisfies a craving for a steak.
Where can I find Japanese curry bricks?
Your Asian grocery store will probably have the curry in brick form. Some warehouse stores, like the ones in Hawaii, will also carry the Japanese curry bricks in multi-packs.
Can I still make this curry with frozen cauliflower?
Yes! Use 6 cups of frozen cauliflower. Add it to the curry after your water is boiling with the curry seasonings. If you add it while you are still cooking the ground beef, you will have mushy cauliflower.
Concerned about too much fat and salt in the curry bricks?
I’ve tried to reduce the amount of curry bricks to 3 bricks plus 2 tsp of curry powder. However, the curry is a little runny at that point and could use a tad more salt. You could try to thicken it with a cornstarch slurry, but I have not tried this myself.
If you’re trying to slowly wean to a less salty and fatty Japanese curry, then I would start with this recipe first so your taste buds have a chance to adjust. Then you can further reduce the curry bricks and add curry powder (it doesn’t have added salt or fat) if needed for health reasons.
What if I can’t find the 7.8 ounce package of curry powder?
If you have the 3.2 ounce package, use 4 bricks from this package, reduce the water to 3 ¼ cups and increase the curry powder to 2 tsp.