Crab katsu curry

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This stunning dish from Gareth Ward is quite different to your average katsu curry. The sauce is made from roasted and puréed garlic, onion and ginger, blended with a range of spices for a super-heady flavour, and served on top of sweet white crab meat cooked in dashi. Puffed wild rice adds even more drama to the dish, plus a little crunch. This dish is designed to be eaten as part of a tasting menu, but would make a super starter or even canapé.

First published in 2018

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Dashi

  • 1l water
  • 25g of bonito flakes
  • 16g of kombu

Katsu curry sauce

Wild rice

  • 50g of wild rice
  • vegetable oil, for deep-frying

Equipment

  • Temperature probe
  • High-power blender

Method

1
To begin, make the dashi to cook the crab. Add the water to a pan, heat to 62°C and add the bonito and kombu. Remove from the heat, set aside for 1 hour then pass through a fine sieve. Set the dashi aside
  • 1l water
  • 16g of kombu
  • 25g of bonito flakes
2
Preheat the oven to 120°C/gas mark 1/2
3
To make the katsu sauce, spread the unpeeled onion, garlic and ginger out on roasting trays and roast in the oven until dried out on the outside and tender inside – each will take a different amount of time to cook so keep checking and remove each element when ready. Allow to cool a little then peel each element and place the roasted flesh in a blender. Blitz to a smooth purée
4
Add the cumin and coriander seeds to a hot, dry pan and toast until aromatic. Add the purée, turmeric and garam masala and cook out for a couple of minutes, then add the chicken stock and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat, season to taste with salt and lemon juice and allow to cool to room temperature. Blend again and pass through a fine sieve. Store at room temperature until ready to serve
5
Preheat a deep-fryer or deep pan of oil to 210°C
  • vegetable oil, for deep-frying
6
Deep-fry the wild rice until puffed up. Drain immediately and set aside on kitchen paper to absorb any excess oil
7
Bring the dashi to the boil in a pan, reduce to a simmer and add the crab. Cook for 4–8 minutes depending on size, then drain and allow to cool to room temperature. Pick the crab, keeping the pieces of meat as large as you can and not flaking at all, where possible
8
Divide the crab meat between plates, in 20–30g portions. Cover with a little katsu curry sauce and top with the fried rice and picked coriander. Dust with a little garam masala and serve

Tucked away in a country house hotel in rural Wales, Gareth Ward is creating dishes like no one else in the UK. With a focus on aged meat, preserved seasonal ingredients and punchy Japanese flavours, his tasting menus are bold, exciting and an absolute must-try.

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