Ingredients: * 1 Tablespoon of Mayonnaise (Whole Egg is best, but others are fine) * Tajin Seasoning to taste (I have used Classico Seasoning)
Method: * Mix together to desired distribution. The Tajin will continue to meld with the mayo as it sits.
Notes: * Use more of each ingredient, particularly the mayonnaise, if you wish to make a larger amount. * Its recommended, by me, to add chili to kick it up a notch. I have added some Roasted Habanero hot sauce (La Meridana), and I have also used a splash of Secret Aardvark Drunken Jerk marinade before. The heat adds another level to the citric and the sourness of the Tajin.
2 Osato brand natto’s. Both of medium (Chu-tsubu) size bean. The taste was fairly similar for both of these, the right side one was slightly more fuller flavour with a firmer bean consistency. Mukashinagara means Old fashioned. umai ga ichiban tare karashi means something like Special sauce and mustard.
Yamada brand Hikiwari natto. Hikiwari is crushed beans. I found these more slimy but slightly less flavorful than usual, they ferment for less time and develop less flavour.
Osato brand Otsubo (large bean) natto. Far less slimy, but more flavour from extended fermentation, and much more texture to the bigger beans. yuki homare kokusan means something like Special domestic grain?
Yamada brand Kotsubu (small) natto. This has extra Dashi added and is meant to be served on rice. More slimy than the larger sizes, and a good flavour. This one had no mustard, just soy.
Yamada brand mini natto. Doesn’t say Kotsubu, it says mini instead, and I believe they are meant to be even smaller and also softer than usual (I’m not sure I noticed). They tasted pretty much same as above.
Will update the below as I get through the varieties listed in Part 1
House Foods Java Curry, Hot This is not as sweet like most Japanese curry. Nice spicyness with a mild heat. Rich very western brown gravy like flavour. I had this with sweet potato and rice and it was robust I guess is a word.
S & B Golden Hayashi Rice Sauce. Beefy and oniony sauce, rich but not too over powering and not salty. A nice flavourful gravy to have with rice. I had this with pork mince and normal potato on rice.
S & B Tasty Hayashi Rice, Japanese Gravy Mix. Similar to the above S & B Golden, but less big and beefy and more vegetable stock-like. Milder. Had this with rice, cubed beef, sweet potato and spring onion.
House Foods Kokumaru Curry. This is an interesting one, It was quite sweet when I was cooking it, but now its on the food its very miso with a fair bit of spice and a mild heat. Probably the most heat and spice of the 4 I have tasted so far. Ate this with red capsicum, potato, eggplant and pork mice,
I haven’t made Japanese curry in a while, and got a bunch. I’ve only had this specific House brand Vermont Curry box in the below pic, and maybe the S & B Golden Hayashi Rice Sauce? The top left box is House brand Keema curry, spicy version, its a sauce pouch and not blocks like the rest.
You can see how they are segmented into blocks/servings below. They vary quite surprisingly in total product weight and serving size. And what defines a serving?
1) House brand Keema Curry Black/Spicy – 150g, 1 serving. I believe this is one serving, you microwave/boil the pouch and pour it on rice? There’s not many instructions I can understand, though.
2) S & B Golden Hayashi Rice Sauce. 195g, 8 blocks. Instructions say “5 – 6 x 2” in one corner.
3) House Foods Java Curry. 185g, 8 blocks. It says 9 servings on the front of the box.
4) House Foods Vermont Curry. 230g, 12 blocks 12 servings. This is like the base root note 101 of Japanese curry. “With a touch of Apple and Honey” is always confusing.
5) House Foods Kokumaru Curry. 149g, 8 blocks. Says 8 servings. Not sure what style this is meant to be. “A rich yet mild curry made with a blend of two different kinds of roux.”
6) S & B Tasty Hayashi Rice, Japanese Gravy Mix. 160g, 8 blocks. Says 8 servings. Hayashi style.
I’ve only tried maybe 2 of the above. I have had others from House and S & B brands before, though, some just the Hot or Mild versions of the above flavours. Personal experience, I thinks Japanese style curry is disgusting on noodles, like curry udon is just repulsive. If there’s deep fried crispy meat involved it can only be pork in a real decent crust else its repulsive. The weird Japanese curry sauce just messes with certain stuff the wrong way, for me. Its fine if you use it in a very simple even rudimentary curry or stew, on or with a equal or larger side of rice, the sauce being the focus. A big thing is additions to the sauce itself, and as no one in real life makes this from scratch its the shit you add personally to adapt and perfect the sauce to your taste that matters.
If you think cinnamon is too spicy then Japanese curry is not for you.
