MASTERS
Spice up your life Move aside, laksa. Three eateries in Singapore give their take on Hokkaido’s famous curry dishes.
SAMA Suage
TEXT DENYSE YEO PHOTOGRAPHY RAYMOND TOH/VINEYARD PRODUCTION
Tengawa Hokkaido White Curry
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okkaido might be the home of seafood, dairy products and miso ramen. But Japan’s northernmost prefecture is also famed for its curry dishes, namely soup curry and white curry. These regional varieties are just as popular, if not more, than quintessential curry rice (kare raisu). Soup curry (supu kare) is thinner and broth-like, served with coarsely-cut vegetables and a chicken leg. Invented by a Sapporo café in the 1970s, it was inspired by Chinese medicinal soups and curries from Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and India. By the 2000s, the Hokkaido capital had become ground zero for soup curry in Japan. Soup curry is a showcase of regional vegetables while also offering diners a tasty kick, with different spices like curry powder, turmeric and garam masala.
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White curry is a newer creation that rode in on Japan’s white food trend in the 1990s and 2000s, which saw a boom in white-coloured food from burgers to tea. It was created by a chef at the Sapporo Prince Hotel, after he became inspired by the snowy cityscape around him. White curry is more similar to curry rice. Chefs use roux thickener along with milk, spices such as pepper, but with zero turmeric. It looks like a creamy stew but tastes like a sweeter, milder yet spicy curry. Like soup curry, vegetables are cut into chunks and flash fried, so their bright colours are set nicely against the dish’s whiteness. Either way, Hokkaido’s curries are comfort foods not just in winter but throughout the year. Three Hokkaido curry experts in Singapore share their stories of the dish.
