Instant Pot Japanese Curry Recipe

It's really pretty exciting when you're able to cook up a filling meal for your family in a single pot. The sentiment is even greater if your pot happens to be an Instant Pot, since the majority of the work is done for you. Thanks to the efficiency of an Instant Pot, you can have a full meal ready to enjoy pretty quickly, with minimal effort. Curries are a great example of a one-pot dish, but the recipes often require multiple steps and ingredients.

Thanks to Kristen Carli, recipe developer and private practice registered dietician of Camelback Nutrition & Wellness, here is a curry recipe that can be on the table in under a half hour. While curries are known to be staples of Indian or Thai cuisine, Carli's recipe has a Japanese influence. Japanese curries are slightly sweeter and milder than Indian curries, and the thick, decadent sauce is an added bonus. Simple ingredients, warm flavors of spice, and a rich sauce make this particular dish mouthwateringly delicious. This is an easy recipe to whip up any night of the week for results that will definitely stand out. We're sure you'll agree that this dish will be a crowdpleaser and definitely a favorite recipe you'll want to add to your regular dinner rotation.

To start this recipe, you'll need some olive oil to sauté the onions, but feel free to substitute it with your usual oil. Next, dice two yellow onions to provide more consistency for the sauce. Yellow onions are ideal, because they have a subtle sweetness that develops the longer that they cook. Crushed ginger and minced garlic add some more aromatics to the base of the dish. Carli keeps things simple and remarks, "I buy frozen crushed ginger from the store."

Since chicken breasts are mildly flavored — they are a great protein to add to this dish without taking away from the flavors of the curry. Yellow potatoes have a naturally creamy buttery texture that complements the curry perfectly. In fact, when asked about her favorite part of this dish, Carli notes, "I love the potatoes in this curry mix. So delicious!" Carrots add more sustenance to the dish, as well as sweet aromas to match the curry. Chicken broth is used to cook all of the ingredients in the Instant Pot, but you can substitute it for vegetable broth if it's what you have.

The bulk of the flavor comes from Golden Curry mix, a packaged spice mix containing curry powder and other seasoning. Carli notes, "The golden curry mix is essential here," so check your local supermarket, Walmart, or Target. Season the dish with salt and pepper, and serve it with white rice, which Carli says is ideal.

Now it's time to start the steps to get this scrumptious recipe going, because the sooner you finish cooking, the sooner you can enjoy it. To begin, turn your Instant Pot to the sauté setting. Pour in the olive oil, and allow it to heat up to prevent the ingredients from sticking to the pan. Once the oil is hot, it's time to add in the diced onions, minced garlic, and crushed ginger. Give everything a quick stir to coat it all with the oil, and then let your mixture cook in the pot. Your kitchen is going to be aromatic in no time at all.

You're going to cook the onion mixture up for eight minutes while the onions sweat and you notice them becoming translucent. Properly cooking the onions means they will be brimming with sweetness due to the breakdown of sugars. (We'd much rather that than the pungent flavors usually associated with raw onions!) Additionally, when onions are already translucent, they are able to absorb the seasoning flavors more readily. Be sure not to overcook them, which will result in caramelization.

Once your onions are translucent, it's time to add in the bite-sized pieces of chicken breast — these will cook quickly and make it easy to eat the curry without having to cut a piece for every mouthful. Then, you're going to add in the cubed yellow potatoes and the sliced carrots right on top of the chicken. These will add a nice starchy consistency in addition to a mild sweetness. 

If you want to substitute the potatoes and carrots for other vegetables, though, Carli remarks, "This would be delicious with additional veggies like broccoli, cauliflower and Brussel sprouts." This recipe definitely leaves some wiggle room, so feel free to experiment with your favorite vegetables. Cooking is meant to be creative, so never feel intimidated to make a dish your own.

Finally, pour in the chicken broth, Golden Curry mix, salt, and pepper. Be sure not to skimp on the broth, or your Instant Pot might not be able to build up sufficient pressure to actually cook the ingredients. The Golden Curry mix definitely packs in the flavor, and it also helps to create a richer consistency. Salt and pepper are the ultimate flavor enhancers, so don't forget to add them in. This dish is going to look and smell oh-so professional, so get excited.

Close your Instant Pot lid, and turn the valve to sealing. Pressure cook the contents for 15 minutes. Once your timer is up, the Japanese curry is now fully cooked and ready to serve. At this point, Carli recommends quick releasing the steam by turning the valve from the sealing to the venting position. Be absolutely sure to avoid the vent as the steam escapes!

It's finally time to dig into this delicious Japanese curry. Thanks to its rich texture, this dish is best served with something to soak up the sauce. There's no need to look for anything complicated, as Carli says, "Rice is ideal!" You will have yourself an amazing, colorful presentation to serve to your family or guests.

If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days or in the freezer up to one month. This is a leftover that you and your family will really look forward to having. Chances are, you'll get through this tasty curry quicker than you'd think, and everyone will want you to make it again really soon!