Hi -

I have picked up and examined the Japanese curry packs in my local Asian
supermarkets many times, puzzling over the ingredients and wondering how
the stuff came about. It looks kind of like an Indian curry base, but
it seems to be a bit sweet and quite mild, or at least so I surmised.
What it did not look like was anything that I think of as 'typically
Japanese', whatever that might be.

Happily, I don't have to wonder any more. An article in the
NYT/International Tribune devotes itself to describing a certain
Japanese food subculture - 'Yoshoku' - i.e. Japanese-style 'Western
Food'. It turns out that Japanese Curry is their take on the British
Navy's take on Indian curry!

Its a fun article, and you can read it here, if you are so inclined:
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/03/...japan-food.php

Cheers,

Ian

It's not "traditional" Japanese but very much "modern" Japanese. "Ka-
re" rice is offered in authentic Japanese fast food places.

" > wrote in message
...
> Hi -
>
> I have picked up and examined the Japanese curry packs in my local Asian
> supermarkets many times, puzzling over the ingredients and wondering how
> the stuff came about. It looks kind of like an Indian curry base, but
> it seems to be a bit sweet and quite mild, or at least so I surmised.
> What it did not look like was anything that I think of as 'typically
> Japanese', whatever that might be.
>
> Happily, I don't have to wonder any more. An article in the
> NYT/International Tribune devotes itself to describing a certain
> Japanese food subculture - 'Yoshoku' - i.e. Japanese-style 'Western
> Food'. It turns out that Japanese Curry is their take on the British
> Navy's take on Indian curry!
>
> Its a fun article, and you can read it here, if you are so inclined:
> http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/03/...japan-food.php
>
> Cheers,
>
> Ian

Yes that's true. During the Meiji era about
100-130 years ago there was a huge influx of all things western including
foods. This is where the practice of having replicas of the dishes out in
front of the restaurant
started so the local people would have an idea of what the dish looked like.
Kare- Raisu, or Curry Rice
did take root in Japan at that time and the origin is the British Royal Navy
which served as a model for the
then fledgling Japanese Imperial Navy. The relationship continued right
ythrough the Anglo-Japanese Alliance of
1902 and throughout the Russo-Japanes War of 1904-05. Admiral Heihachiro
Togo, who defeated the
Russian Far East Fleet at the battle of Tsushima is also credited with
having originated the Niku-Jaga, an interpretation of the Beef Stew served
in the Royal Navy. Both dishes are common authentic Japanese dishes now.
Musashi

"Musashi" > wrote in message
. net...
>
> " > wrote in message
> ...
>> Hi -
>>
>> I have picked up and examined the Japanese curry packs in my
>> local Asian
>> supermarkets many times, puzzling over the ingredients and
>> wondering how
>> the stuff came about. It looks kind of like an Indian curry
>> base, but


> Russian Far East Fleet at the battle of Tsushima is also
> credited with
> having originated the Niku-Jaga, an interpretation of the Beef
> Stew served
> in the Royal Navy. Both dishes are common authentic Japanese
> dishes now.
> Musashi
>
May I just add that Niku-Jaga is very easy to make and is a
highly acceptable form of stew. It has a slightly uunexpected
flavor but there's nothing wrong with that! The Japanese navy
had problems with vitamin deficiency and Western food was
introduced to combat that. The fact that Admiral Togo had
trained with the British also helped :-) I have read that
Niku-Jaga is more home cooking these days rather than restaurant
food. I have some Japanese friends who consider me rather
unsophisticated for liking it!



--
Jim Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

"James Silverton" > wrote in message
news:2_KIj.9077$QW6.3450@trnddc07...
> "Musashi" > wrote in message
> . net...
>>
>> " > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> Hi -
>>>
>>> I have picked up and examined the Japanese curry packs in my local Asian
>>> supermarkets many times, puzzling over the ingredients and wondering how
>>> the stuff came about. It looks kind of like an Indian curry base, but
>
>
>> Russian Far East Fleet at the battle of Tsushima is also credited with
>> having originated the Niku-Jaga, an interpretation of the Beef Stew
>> served
>> in the Royal Navy. Both dishes are common authentic Japanese dishes now.
>> Musashi
>>
> May I just add that Niku-Jaga is very easy to make and is a highly
> acceptable form of stew. It has a slightly uunexpected flavor but there's
> nothing wrong with that! The Japanese navy had problems with vitamin
> deficiency and Western food was introduced to combat that. The fact that
> Admiral Togo had trained with the British also helped :-) I have read
> that Niku-Jaga is more home cooking these days rather than restaurant
> food. I have some Japanese friends who consider me rather unsophisticated
> for liking it!
>
> Jim Silverton
> Potomac, Maryland

True, it's a home cooked dish. A common saying is that if a young woman
wants
to catch a husband she needs to be able to make a good Niku-Jaga.
I think liking Niku-Jaga in no more unsophisticated than liking meatloaf
or Potroast. Both of which I love.

Musashi

Musashi wrote:
> " > wrote in message
> ...
>> Hi -
>>
>> I have picked up and examined the Japanese curry packs in my local Asian
>> supermarkets many times, puzzling over the ingredients and wondering how
>> the stuff came about. It looks kind of like an Indian curry base, but
>> it seems to be a bit sweet and quite mild, or at least so I surmised.
>> What it did not look like was anything that I think of as 'typically
>> Japanese', whatever that might be.
>>
>> Happily, I don't have to wonder any more. An article in the
>> NYT/International Tribune devotes itself to describing a certain
>> Japanese food subculture - 'Yoshoku' - i.e. Japanese-style 'Western
>> Food'. It turns out that Japanese Curry is their take on the British
>> Navy's take on Indian curry!
>>
>> Its a fun article, and you can read it here, if you are so inclined:
>> http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/03/...japan-food.php
>>
>> Cheers,
>>
>> Ian
>
> Yes that's true. During the Meiji era about
> 100-130 years ago there was a huge influx of all things western including
> foods. This is where the practice of having replicas of the dishes out in
> front of the restaurant
> started so the local people would have an idea of what the dish looked like.
> Kare- Raisu, or Curry Rice
> did take root in Japan at that time and the origin is the British Royal Navy
> which served as a model for the
> then fledgling Japanese Imperial Navy. The relationship continued right
> ythrough the Anglo-Japanese Alliance of
> 1902 and throughout the Russo-Japanes War of 1904-05. Admiral Heihachiro
> Togo, who defeated the
> Russian Far East Fleet at the battle of Tsushima is also credited with
> having originated the Niku-Jaga, an interpretation of the Beef Stew served
> in the Royal Navy. Both dishes are common authentic Japanese dishes now.
> Musashi
>
>

Its interesting how a culture takes things in and makes them their own.

A local Chinese restaurant here (VA, USA) has a 'traditional' (read:
authentic) menu and a second 'American Chinese' menu for those who want
the Americanized Chinese dishes they have come to expect.

And I recently microwaved a lunch of 'Pho', as envisioned by a Korean
manufacturer. A Vietnamese co-worker laughed when I showed it to her. It
tasted pretty good, but it was not Pho, which is readily available from
the many real Pho places in this area. As with any other culture, the
Koreans have bent the cuisine to conform to its society's warp & woof.

Cheers,

Ian