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Vegan Japanese Curry made in Instant Pot Pressure cooker. Flavorful, Comforting, Vegetable Rich Curry for Weekday Dinner. Saucepan Option. Vegan, glutenfree, nutfree Recipe. Can be soyfree, oil-free
It is starting to warm up, but I love a bowl of spiced up veggie filled curry or soup any day. This Japanese Veggie Curry is amazingly good and lovely as a soup, over rice or however you want to serve it.
Simple Everyday Ingredients, roast the onions and flour for a roux, add in the veggies, water and spices, all in a pot (Pressure cooker or a saucepan), simmer and done. If you can find Japanese curry powder, use it (some can have additives, so read ingredients). Japanese curry powder is much more complex flavored compared to regular curry powder, and is more closer to garam masala + turmeric. I use my homemade garam masala with added turmeric in this recipe. I use chickpeas instead of the chickin/meat, use other vegan chikin subs for variation. Add some roasted cashews, more beans or some tofu for more protein. See Recipe Video Below.
This warm golden curry bowl is satisfying, flavorful and delicious!
More Instant Pot Recipes! All have saucepan options.
- Potato Chickpea Spinach Soup. GF
- Instant Pot Lasagna Soup with Red lentils. – So Easy
- Instant Pot Vegan Butter Chickin(soycurls). GF – Creamy, Delicious
- Sweet Potato Chard/Kale Curry – IP aloo Saag. GF
- More Instant Pot Recipes!
Applesauce or grated Apple adds the light sweet balance in this curry which is often used in Japanese cooking. Light sweetness is often added in many asian cusines, Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, and even Indian. It isn’t a noticeable “sweet” but more a congruent flavor in the highly savory spicy dishes. You dont taste the apple. It can be substituted with a touch of sweetener of choice.
If using premade Japanese curry roux cubes, add them towards the end and mix in, then close the lid.
Curries vary in various cuisines. Thai curries use their own ingredients, spices, pastes, Indian curries use their own, Malaysian, Japanese use their own and so on. They are similar in some ways and different in many ways. Many authentic amazing flavors and textures from so many cuisines and sub-cuisines!
If you try this version of Japanese Curry (Kare Raisu), do let me know in the comments how it turned out!
Vegan Japanese Curry in Instant Pot (saucepan option)
Ingredients
- 2 tsp oil, divided
- 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped, or 1 tbsp mined
- 1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
- 1 tbsp flour, (use rice flour for glutenfree)
- 2 to 3 tsp garam masala, or 1.5 to 2 Tbsp Japanese Curry powder (omit turmeric if using)
- 3/4 tsp turmeric
- 1 1/4 cup chopped carrots
- 1 large potato cubed
- 15 oz can chickpeas, drained, or 1.5 cups cooked
- 2 tsp tomato paste or ketchup
- 2 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce or use soy(tamari for glutenfree) sauce, or use coconut aminos for soyfree
- 2 cups water
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp applesauce, or grated apple
- 1/3 cup peas
- scallions, pickled radish, pickled ginger and rice for serving
Instructions
- Put the Instant pot on Saute. Add oil, when the oil is hot, add onion and pinch of salt and cook until translucent.
- Add the garlic and ginger and mix in. Cook for half a minute.
- Move the onions to the side. Add 1 tsp more oil to the pot, add the flour and mix into the oil. Then mix with the onion, ginger, garlic and cook for half a minute stirring frequently as the flour will tend to stick and burn if left too long. Add the spices and mix them in. (Add a pinch of thyme and sage for additional depth of Japanese curry flavor if using Indian garam masala)
- Add the veggies, chickpeas, sauces, salt and water. Mix really well to pick up the roasted flour from the bottom, so that none of the flour is sticking. Cancel Saute
- Close the lid (sealing). Pressure Cook for 6 to 7 minutes (manual hi). (a minute longer if your veggies are chopped larger). Once the time is up. Click cancel and Let the pressure release naturally.
- Open the lid. Put the pot on saute, add the applesauce and peas and bring to a boil. Taste and adjust salt, spice and flavor carefully. Add more spices to taste. Add some sweetener and good dash of black pepper or pepper flakes for heat if needed. Serve with rice and garnished with sesame seeds, pickled radish/ginger and scallions.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Reading for the week: This extensive article on the skewed gender ratio in India and China. Its a great article on the consequences of the less number of women, but doesnt go into details of how the ratio got to where it is today, namely gender tests, abortion or infant killing.
Hi, I have the premade Japanese curry cubes..could I use those instead? and what would I omit?
Omit the spices and flour
Good recipe but impossible to make in the instant pot. I get the burn notice every time. I’ve tried to avoid this by doing the sauté part first then letting it sit for ages to cook down and then start he pressure cook part but no luck. Better just use a pot and simmer it until done.
Several people have made it in the instant pot. the pots diff models can sometimes can be a bit too sensitive so you can skip the flour part and add a nondairy cream in the end for thickening.
Can’t wait to cook this dish! I have had trouble getting our teen to try curry but she is OBSESSED with all things Japanese so this is going to be awesome to try out!
A couple of questions:
Any reason why adding some seitan before the 15 pressure cooking cycle would a problem? Said teen is a vegetarian and needs more protein.
Are the peas fresh, canned or frozen in this recipe?
If I use frozen edamame instead of peas (hubby isn’t a big pea fan!), should I add them frozen before cooking or thawed at the end?
MANY thanks for sharing this great recipe! I’m psyched to cook it this week!
Yes, you should add Seitan before cooking.
Frozen peas.
Edamame before cooking.
Let me know how the said teen like it.
I LOVE that there is an oil free version. Very helpful 🙂
Thanks so much!!!!
Thank you for this great recipe!!! The only issue I have is that a full tablespoon of fresh, finely chopped ginger dominated the flavor profile. As I still have half the curry left over, what do you suggest I do to counteract the sweetness? More curry power?
Thanks again!!
add more potatoes or veggies(par boil the potatoes or veggies so you just need to simmer for 10 mins). the potatoes should absorb some of the flavor
This is unbelievably rich and delicious for the simplicity of the ingredients. I added a small block of tofu with the potatoes and some baby spinach at the end, and followed the saucepan directions. I’m sure that I will make this many more times! Thank you! 🙂
I cannot wait to try this. The weather is getting cooler and it’s a one-pot meal.
Thank you for posting.
thanks!
My new fav curry recipe. Will be added to my regular recipe rotation for sure
First of your recipes I’ve attempted and oh my good goodness yummm! I’m not a huge curry fan but this was incredible Bought some garam masala especially and so glad I did. Also went for the cubed apple option over the apple sauce and it added a lovely texture.
Served with some steamed spinach and brown rice and couldn’t have been happier. Excited to try more (and happy for recommendations on which to do next!)
Awesome!! If you are looking for instant pot recipes, try the lasagna soup, wild rice mushroom soup, chickpea coconut curry or any other https://fettabbau-trim.today/category/instant-pot%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Omgosh! Did this w/o oil and just chopped 1 large apple instead of applesauce. Added w/the potatoes and carrots at the beginning. Saw on Instagram a few folks were concerned about the addition of applesauce. Years ago I had some really yummy roasted red peppersoup from a local health food store. It was one of the best soups I’ve ever tasted. This is right up there with it if not better. Also added fresh green beans with the carrots just b/c I had bought some yesterday. Topped w/fresh basil, lime and black seeds. Perfection!
[Got this in my email @ 6:00 a.m. couldn’t stop thinking about it so started it at 7. It’s 9:00 and we already Snapchatted and Instagrammed it to our family and friends.]
yay! great timing!
Apple is used in japanese curries, some indian curries and some african stews too. it doesnt taste of apple, but adds a mild sweet and thickening like carrots, but it throws people off 🙂
Hello im about to make this recipe for my boyfriend , he loves your recipes ☺️ unfortunately i dont have apple sauce 😕 is there anything that can replace it?
omit it and use 1/4 tsp sugar. or some grated apple