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Japanese curry

Serves 3.

1.5 lbs crosscut beef shanks
1/2 lb onion
1/2 T minced ginger
1/2 T minced garlic
1/2 apple, grated
Beef stock (optional)
1/4 lb carrots, peeled and cut rangiri-style
1/2 lb potatoes, peeled and cut the same size as the carrots
2 T butter
2 T flour
2 T japanese curry powder
1 T garam masala
Salt to taste
Honey to taste

In a 2-4 qt pot, brown the beef in a little butter over high heat. When brown, reserve the beef and fry the onion for 5" or 10" until browning at the edges, adding more butter if necessary. Add the ginger and garlic and fry for a minute until fragrant. Add the apple and stir to scrape up any browned bits, then return the beef, cover with beef stock or water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 3 hours. (Alternatively, pressure cook this for an hour.)

Remove the beef, take it off the bone, cut it into bite-size chunks, and return it to the pot. Add the carrots and simmer for a half hour.

While the carrots are simmering, make a roux in a small saucepan with the flour and butter over medium heat. When the roux is peanut butter color, add the curry powder and garam masala and cook for a minute until fragrant. Arrest the roux's cooking with a cup or two of the simmering water or stock, and stir it until it's a uniform consistency. Reserve.

When the carrots have been simmering for a half hour, add the potatoes and the curry roux to the pot. Stir to incorporate and simmer for a final half hour.

Adjust seasoning and sweetness to taste and serve over steamed white rice with pickled rakkyo or fukujinzuke or both.