Kono's Curry Sauce

Shrimp Curry

Oh for the love of curry!  That’s what this recipe is. The kind of curry I grew up with in Hawaii.

Back in the day… we didn’t have the variety of curries that are available today. We just had one and this was it!

This recipe makes about 8 cups of sauce which could mean a large family sized pot of stew or 4 meals for a couple. I make this sauce ahead of time and freeze it into containers to pull out whenever I have a hankering for curry. This sauce makes wonderful chicken curry stew with carrots and potatoes as well as sauce to go over katsu, for curry katsu or as pictured, shrimp curry.

KONO’s CURRY SAUCE

Makes 8 cups

½         cup      oil or butter (or a combination of both)

2 to 3   stalks  celery, chopped small

1          med     onion, chopped small

2          cloves  garlic, minced

2 ½      Tbsp.   curry powder (standard type you find next to the other spices)

1 to 2   Tbsp.   chili garlic sauce (1T=mild/2T=spicy)

1          Tbsp.   kosher salt

1          tsp.      black pepper

1 ½      cups    flour

4          cans    chicken broth (14.5 oz – I prefer Swanson’s)

3          cups    water

Heat a stock pot over med heat. Add oil or butter, celery, onions and garlic. Cook till soft and fragrant.

Add curry powder and cook till fragrant (this will absorb a lot of the moisture and dry up – that’s ok) cook for about 3 - 5 min. This will burn a little and stick to the bottom of the pot, this is OK!

Add chili garlic sauce, salt and pepper. Mix to blend.

Add flour and mix well (it will be lumpy – that’s ok) Keep stirring (preferably with a wire whisk) and cook for about 3 min.

Add chicken broth and water and stir with a whisk. Bring to a boil then lower heat. Keep stirring and sort of scrape the bottom so it won’t burn or stick. Let simmer for about 15 min.

**Optional for a smooth sauce; blend with an immersion blender or in your blender in small batches.

NOTES: This sauce freezes well. I usually portion it out into one meal servings to have ready when I’m in the mood for curry.

CHICKEN CURRY STEW

Once you make your curry sauce everything else is up to your imagination. I have a guide below to help you enjoy your curry sauce.

Chicken Thighs, cut into bite sized pieces

Potatoes, cut into bite size pieces

Carrots, cut into bite size pieces

Curry sauce, as much as you like – I like mine saucy

Brown chicken and season with salt and pepper. When chicken is brown add sauce; bring to a boil; lower heat to medium; cook chicken for 15 min. covered. Add carrots; cook for 10 min. Add potatoes; cook for 10 min. Dinner is ready when chicken, carrots and potatoes are cooked through. This will take about 35 – 40 min.

SHRIMP CURRY

Pre-cooked tail on shrimp (in your freezer section or butcher block at your grocer) make this dish fast and easy. All you need to do is cook the rice and heat the sauce.

Shrimp (I serve 10 – 12 per person)

Curry Sauce

**optional garnish-green peas and chopped green onions

Heat curry sauce; add shrimp (this should take only 2-3 min.) and scoop over rice.