Pressure Cooker Japanese Beef Curry

Step 1

Prepare Pressure Cooker: Heat up your pressure cooker (Instant Pot: press Sauté button) over medium heat. Ensure your pot is as hot as it can be (Instant Pot: wait until indicator says HOT).

Step 2

Pressure Cook Caramelized Onion Purée: Melt 3 tbsp (45g) unsalted butter in pressure cooker. Add in sliced onions, shallots, ⅓ tsp (1.3g) baking soda. Sauté until moisture starts to come out of the onions (~5 mins). Close lid and pressure cook at High Pressure for 20 minutes, then Quick Release. Open lid.

Step 3

Reduce until Caramelized (takes roughly 16 – 17 mins): There will be lots of moisture from the onions. Reduce until most moisture has evaporated over medium high heat (Instant Pot: press cancel, Sauté button and Adjust once to Sauté More function). Stir constantly with a silicone spatula. Once most moisture has evaporated, adjust to medium heat (Instant Pot: press cancel and Sauté). Stir until onions are deep golden brown and all moisture has evaporated. Season with kosher salt & ground black pepper to taste. Remove caramelized onion purée and set aside.

Step 4

Brown Chuck Steak: Adjust to medium high heat (Instant Pot: press cancel, Sauté button and Adjust once to Sauté More function. Wait until indicator says HOT). Lightly season chuck steak with kosher salt & black pepper. Add 1 tbsp (15ml) of olive oil in the pot. Ensure to coat oil over whole bottom of the pot. Add seasoned chuck roast in the pot. Brown for 6 – 8 mins on each side without flipping. Remove and set aside on a chopping board.

Step 5

Sauté Garlic: Add in chopped garlic and stir until fragrant (about 30 secs).

Step 6

Deglaze: Pour in roughly ½ cup (100 ml) of unsalted chicken stock and completely deglaze the pot by scrubbing all flavorful brown bits with a wooden spoon.

Step 7

Pressure Cook Chuck Roast: Cut chuck steak into 1.5 – 2 inches stew cubes, and place them along with its meat juice back to the pot. Add remaining unsalted chicken stock, 1 tbsp (15ml) Japanese soy sauce and caramelized onion purée. Mix well. Close lid and pressure cook at High Pressure for 32 minutes + 10 minutes Natural Release. Release remaining pressure. Open lid.

Step 8

Make Japanese Curry: Taste the caramelized onion beef stew. Mix in the Japanese curry roux cubes one by one while tasting for the right balance of flavors. Taste and add more curry roux or Japanese soy sauce if necessary. We used roughly 2.5 (95g) Japanese curry roux.

Step 9

Serve: Serve over Calrose rice. We sprinkled some mozzarella cheese on top and baked it in the oven until the cheese melted and browned. Just like how the restaurant served it.

Step 10

Take a photo & Enjoy: Pat yourself on the back! One of Tokyo’s most highly rated Japanese curry beef stew dishes is recreated in front of your eyes. Take a picture to share on social media!