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Sauces, pastes & condiments · Curry pastes

Japanese curry roux

Blocks of butter-and-flour roux seasoned with curry powder that thicken Japanese curry into a glossy, mild sauce.

Also called: curry roux, kare roux, curry roux block, karē rū, golden curry roux

Around the world: カレールウ, カレールー (ja)

Make it yourself: Japanese curry roux (homemade)

What it is

A brown roux of fat and flour cooked with curry powder and other spices, then set into blocks. Bought roux (such as boxed 'curry roux') also contains salt, sugar, flavour enhancers and often palm oil; homemade roux is just butter, flour and spices. It is dissolved into simmering stock at the end of cooking.

How it’s used

  • Japanese curry rice and katsu curry
  • Curry udon
  • Curry bread (karē pan) filling
  • Thickening leftover stews into curry

Characteristics

Taste
Mild, buttery, nutty and gently spiced.
When cooked
Melts into hot liquid and thickens it within a few minutes of simmering.
Sold as
paste
Cooking uses
Commonly cooked, Used for thickening
Common in
Japanese

Storage

Refrigerated. Homemade keeps a month chilled, 3 months frozen; boxed blocks are shelf-stable until opened.

Diet, allergens and safety

Contains Milk, Wheat, Gluten. May contain Mustard, Celery, Soy — check the label.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free (check label)
  • Caffeine-free
  • Contains wheat (gluten) and milk; boxed roux may contain soy, celery or mustard.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Curry powder — Cook 2 tbsp each butter and flour with 1 tbsp curry powder for a small batch.

Related ingredients

Recipes with japanese curry roux

No recipe in the catalogue uses it yet.

More curry pastes