This katsu curry sauce is one of the simplest Japanese-inspired recipes you can make at home. Smooth, mildly spiced and slightly sweet, it's the perfect accompaniment to flattened chicken or pork coated in crispy breadcrumbs and served with plain rice. Once you've made your own katsu curry sauce from scratch, you won't go back to a packet.

What is Katsu Curry Sauce?

Katsu curry sauce is a Japanese curry sauce — milder and sweeter than Indian curries, with a smooth, velvety texture. It's traditionally served with breaded, fried chicken or pork (the "katsu"), plain steamed rice, and a simple salad. The sauce is the star of the show.

Katsu Curry Sauce Recipe: Ingredients

1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon curry powder
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon plain flour
400ml coconut milk
200ml vegetable or chicken stock
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon runny honey

How to Make Katsu Curry Sauce

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and carrot and soften for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add the sliced garlic and grated ginger. Cook for one minute.
3. Add the curry powder, turmeric and plain flour. Stir well and cook for two minutes to cook out the flour.
4. Pour in the coconut milk, stock, soy sauce and honey. Stir to combine and bring up to a gentle simmer.
5. Turn the heat to its lowest setting and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring regularly, until the sauce has thickened.
6. Taste and adjust — more soy for saltiness, more honey for sweetness, more curry powder for heat.
7. Blend to a smooth, velvety sauce or serve as is. I prefer it blended — it coats the katsu beautifully.

How to Serve Katsu Curry Sauce

I like to serve the sauce separately in a jug or gravy boat, then slice the meat so I can dip each piece. Don't ask me why I use chopsticks — but for me it makes it taste better.

My katsu curry sauce gets served in my Scottish granny's gravy boat. She was born in 1883 and lived until 1973, and the gravy boat is one of the few mementos I have of her, along with several photographs. It's part of a range named Idris, manufactured by W.H. Grindley between 1900 and 1910. If family history is your cup of tea, you can see my granny's records here.

This katsu curry sauce also works beautifully alongside other Japanese-inspired dishes, or as a dipping sauce for vegetable tempura. For more curry inspiration, try my Dishoom onion and tomato masala — a brilliant curry base that keeps for a week in the fridge.

How to Make Sourdough Panko Breadcrumbs

Panko breadcrumbs are used for coating the meat after dredging in flour and egg. To make your own panko, coarsely blitz white bread then spread on a baking sheet. Place in a preheated oven at 150°C and bake for 5–7 minutes, shaking the sheet a couple of times.

I've managed to persuade my local panaderia in my village in Andalucia to bake sourdough, which I now order regularly. He's since started baking a selection every Tuesday — my favourites are maiz (corn) and saraceno (buckwheat). Sourdough panko is what you'll find at Casa Adora. I'd like to think I influenced his decision.

Find more recipes and food adventures here.

Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures — The Flexible Chef.

Footnote: This recipe is part of my Curry Recipes hub — a complete collection of curries, spice blends, chutneys, and curry-adjacent dishes from Casa Adora and beyond.

Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures — The Flexible Chef