How I Developed This Recipe
Curry rice might be the most well-known Japanese curry dish, but Japan has come up with a bunch of new and creative takes on this popular comfort food. One of these is curry nabe (hot pot), which takes the regular curry flavor and turns it into a hearty, communal dish.
This recipe has lots of layers of flavor. It starts with a delicate kombu broth base, then gets deeper with chicken drumsticks and shrimp. The end result is a creative yet approachable dish that captures the essence of curry in hot pot form.
Best of all, this hearty and satisfying meal comes together easily using simple curry powder. It’s the perfect way to warm up on a chilly winter evening, getting the whole family or friends around a steaming pot of aromatic curry!
Key Ingredients & Substitution Ideas
- Kombu (dried kelp): This is the base of our tasty broth. It’s an essential Japanese ingredient that adds rich umami flavor to the hot pot, creating a complex base that makes the whole dish better.
- Drumsticks & Shrimp: These proteins work double duty—the chicken bones enrich our broth while the meat becomes tender and succulent, and the shrimp adds a delicate sweetness and another layer of flavor.
- Tomato: It adds a nice balance of natural umami and acidity to the curry.
- Napa cabbage (Chinese cabbage): A great choice because of its natural water content and sweet flavor, which enhance the broth beautifully. Regular green cabbage works well too.
- Pumpkin (kabocha or butternut squash): It adds natural sweetness and helps thicken the broth. I love using kabocha for its rich flavor, but butternut squash makes an excellent substitute.
- Additional Vegetables: You can use whatever mushrooms you like (I used shimeji, but any variety works well), carrots, bell peppers, and Japanese leeks (or regular leeks).
- Broth Seasonings: Soy sauce, sake, mirin, curry powder (I used Japanese one, but you can use any variety), chicken bouillon powder, chili bean paste (doubanjiang), and melty cheese (either cheddar, gouda, or a mix of both).
Visual Walkthrough & Tips
Here are my step-by-step instructions for how to make Curry Nabe at home. For ingredient quantities and simplified instructions, scroll down for the Printable Recipe Card below.
This section aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the cooking steps and techniques with visuals. It also includes more in-depth tips and tricks and explains why I do what I do.
STEP
Prepare the Kombu Stock
Place the kombu in a large pot and cover with cold water. Let it steep at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to get the most out of the umami flavor.
STEP
Cook the Chicken Base
Add the drumsticks to the pot and heat over medium heat until it’s almost boiling. When small bubbles appear around the edges, remove and discard the kombu.
Skim off any foam that rises to the surface to ensure a clear and clean-tasting broth.
Now, add the pumpkin and carrots to the pot. These dense vegetables need more cooking time to get tender and soak up that broth. If you plan to use other hardy root vegetables, add them here.
Cover and simmer over low to medium heat for about 5 minutes.
Add the rest of your vegetables, shrimp, seasonings, and cheese to the pot. Give it a gentle stir to mix everything together, but be careful not to overdo it and break up the ingredients.
Cover and simmer for another 5-10 minutes or until the shrimp and chicken are cooked through. The vegetables should be tender but still hold their shape.
Pour the hot pot into individual bowls, making sure each one has a good mix of proteins, vegetables, and broth.
STEP
Optional Noodle Finish
When you’re done with all the ingredients, cook the ramen or udon noodles in a separate pot following the package instructions. Drain and rinse them under water to get rid of the excess starch, then toss them into the rest of the curry broth.
This hot pot finish will transform the leftover broth into a satisfying noodle course.
I hope you enjoy this recipe! If you try it out, I’d really appreciate it if you could spare a moment to let me know what you thought by giving a review and star rating in the comments below. It’s also helpful to share any adjustments you made to the recipe with our other readers. Thank you!
Kare Nabe (Japanese Curry Hot Pot)
This Japanese Curry Hot Pot is a hearty dish packed with chicken, shrimp, and vegetables simmered in a spicy curry-infused broth. It’s the perfect comfort dish for a cold evening!
Ingredients
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