Kaze to Hikari 27 Free Curry

Kaze to Hikari 27 Free Curry

Organic Curry (vegan / gluten-free)

Organic marketplace Kaze to Hikari introduces two gluten-free and vegan curry roux with 27 Free curry and Organic Curry, the world’s first organic curry roux.

Words and Photos by Sarah Hodge from BentoYa Friends

27 Free Curry offers all the flavor without the worry of cross contamination or animal products; it’s free from eggs, milk, wheat, peanuts, shrimp, buckwheat, crab, mackerel, soy, shellfish, squid, orange, banana, cashews, chicken, peach, salmon, walnuts, sesame, beef, mushrooms, pork, kiwi, gelatin and apple. Instead of wheat flour, the roux uses rice flour.

Both packages (27 Free and Organic) are 150 grams each and make approximately five servings (30 grams). 

To prepare, simply start by chopping the suggested vegetables (onions, carrots, potatoes) or add your favorites (I also love to add lotus root, kabocha and sweet potato to my curries!).

I browned my veggies first in oil, then added the 900 ml water. The instructions mention simmering the veggies until they are soft then adding the roux, but I decided to cook my veggies in the roux to add extra flavor (as well as reduce / thicken it as I prefer my curry thicker). In addition to the recommended veggies I also added sweet potato and broccoli.

When I plated my organic curry, I decided to go with a Valentine’s Day theme and shaped my rice (organic shinmai koshi hikari) into a heart, and decorated with stamped vegetables using my cutter collection from Aritsugu (the main store is in Kyoto’s Nishiki market, but there is also a branch in Tsukiji Outer Market that sells molds, cutters, and gorgeous knives).

I loved the blend of spices in the Kaze to Hikari curry roux and the fact that it had a hint of heat, but not too much, and also wasn’t overly salty like other roux I’ve tried. It’s also a very convenient size to take along when traveling; many times, there are very few if any vegan options in rural Japan, so making your own curry is a quick and easy option if you have access to a portable burner. Bear in mind that like other packaged / commercial curry roux, it does contain palm oil. As such, I would consider this an occasional treat in my household as I generally try to avoid palm oil for both health reasons and environmental ones. 

Given the lack of commercially available vegan / allergy-friendly curry roux on the market in Japan, this is a great option to keep on hand.

Basic recipe as written on package:

Curry roux (1 bag, 150 grams)

Potatoes (2 medium)

Carrots (2 medium)

Onion (2 medium)

Oil (2 tablespoons)

Saute vegetables in oil then add the water and cook over medium heat until vegetables are soft. Turn off