Kokako's Japanese curry

Ted Baghurst

Kokako Cafe, housed in a beautiful and spacious old post office in Grey Lynn, offers a regularly-rotating seasonal menu, with vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options.

This recipe, courtesy of head chef Rohan Horner and sous chef Kentaro Kurihara, is a flavoursome alternative to Indian, Malaysian and Thai-inspired curries. Try it with steamed rice, coleslaw and fresh coriander and sesame seeds to finish.

The cafe's usual recipe makes a lovingly-prepared pot for 20 - here, we've adapted it to serve a family for dinner or a couple of friends for dinner and lunch.

Spices

4 tsp	Cumin seeds, ground
4 tsp	Coriander seeds, ground
2 tsp	Cinnamon, ground
1 tsp	Cloves, ground
4 Tbsp	Turmeric
1 tsp	Allspice
4 tsp	Garlic powder, or use fresh garlic
2 tsp	Ginger powder, or use fresh ginger
2 tsp	Black pepper

Roux

3 tsp	Curry powder, see ingredients above
4 tsp	Rice powder
2 Tbsp	Butter

Curry

2	Onions, sliced
1	Carrot
2	Potatoes, red skin (Main)
250 g	Canned tomatoes
15 g	Fresh garlic, grated, about 3 tsp
15 g	Fresh ginger, grated, about 3 tsp
60 g	Shiitake mushrooms, dried, soaked in water overnight
30 g	Miso paste
25 ml	Mirin
2	Apples, grated (Main)
1 to taste	Butter
200 g	Edamame beans, to garnish
100 g	Sesame seeds, to garnish
1 to garnish	Fresh coriander

Directions

1. Mix all spices and toast.
2. Soak the shiitake in water overnight and slice if needed.
3. Make a roux in a small saucepan. Stir to combine the melted butter and flour and cook on a low heat for 10 minutes. The roux will turn a light brown colour. Add the spice/mix curry powder. Cook and stir for two minutes and remove from the heat and allow to cool.
4. In a large pan, caramelise the onion in vegetable oil, add the grated ginger and garlic, and cook for few minutes.
5. Add the shiitake, carrot and potato, cook for little while, then add the stock water and mirin.
6. When the soup is boiled, turn the heat down to a simmer and add the roux and miso. Stir well.
7. Simmer for 30 minutes then the curry will start thickening. Taste and season with salt and pepper but be careful not to salt too heavily as the miso adds quite a bit of salt already.
8. Stir the edamame into the curry. Serve with steamed rice, a simple coleslaw, picked coriander and a generous sprinkle of sesame seeds.