Vermont medium curry with pork

About the Recipe

If you read my blog, you might have read about the genesis of the Japanese curry cube - you know, the cubes formed into a block of 10-12 that most Japanese homes and restaurants use to make curry. (Yes, even restaurants use curry cubes, albeit in catering blocks that are about 3 times the sizes of the ones meant for home use). But why did they come into being in the first place? Curry has been popular in Japan for over 100 years - it was first introduced in the form of curry powder - I think the British Cross and Blackwell brand was the powder to buy for many years. The problem curry powders faced in Japan was the climate - the heat and humidity often spoiled the powders and their aroma. Curry dishes - in particular the ubiquitous "curry rice" were fast becoming a favourite at restaurants but most Japanese chefs had no idea of how to create a good curry - so, as powders had such a short shelf life in Japan, the idea developed of creating a solid roux block that contained all the ingredients in the right proportions for making a reasonable curry - a curry that anyone in a kitchen or even a street side stall could use to create a reasonable curry dish quickly and with minimum fuss. The Japanese food company S&B were first off the mark in the 1950s and almost overnight, their curry cubes deposed the market leader, House Foods, curry powders. And the rest, as they say, is history...