House Foods Java Curry Medium Hot 6.52oz, 2 Pack

This is a much spicier version of the Japanese curry roux blocks that thicken traditional Japanese curry, which is more like a cross between an English beef stew and a curry than an Indian curry. If you've tried Japanese curry blocks and found them too bland, this is possibly one you should try.I make Japanese curry about once a week--it's fast and easy, taking about the same amount of time as cooking the rice. The recipe is adaptable for cooking for one and leftovers can be reheated if you remember to make extra sauce (it thickens up as it sits.) So I've tried several brands of curry blocks or curry roux, which is how curry is sold as a convenience seasoning. Add it to a simmered mix of vegetables and meat, seafood or tofu and serve it over udon noodles or rice.The brands I've tried:S&B Golden Curry; very mild and not at all spicy. This is the one you'll frequently find in local Asian markets. Not too sweet.Vermont House Curry: famous for a mild sweetness from honey, apple and banana. Favored by children. Comes in mild or medium but neither is spicy.Java Curry: This one. Comes in medium hot and hot. I tried the medium hot: it IS spicy but not overpowering or painful-spicy-hot. Best I can describe it is a decent but mild warmth with much more flavor (as if you were to put in dry S&B curry powder.)I actually mixed mine 2 parts to 1 part Vermont mild version and it was perfect for my tastes. Many people will mix brands to get the flavor they like: I like mildly spicy, less than "medium hot" but more than Vermont's medium hot, so Java works.If Japanese curry roux has been too mild for your tastes, try this one, it has a kick. I would suggest this brand for curry udon, as the bland flat noodles stand up to spicy sauces. I also suggest making it soupier than you think you should, as it does thicken on cooling. If you have blocks of curry you weren't so enthused about, mix them with this one.A couple of hints for cooking Japanese curry; it usually is a mix of potato, carrot, onion and some kind of meat, typically pork, beef or chicken. I throw in apple chunks. I use a half or quarter cube of chicken bouillion to simmer the vegetable and meat (the broth stage before you thicken with curry.) Red or gold potatoes hold up better in the stew. If you want more sauce, add more water and if the flavor is too mild, toss in another part of a cube, or more... this way you get curry sauce, especially if you want to have a soupy bowl of noodles. The curry is served over rice or noodles, and often with Japanese pickled scallions or mixed vegetables (fukujinzuke) but those are hard to find here--you can use pickled ginger or even mango chutney as a condiment.