Coal Coast Family

LGA: Wollongong

food traditions

Words: Lucy Kippist
Coal Coast Family
2 minutes read

Aside from being delicious and comforting, tried and true family recipes say so much about our identity, where we came from, and what is important to us. We meet Helensburgh resident Yuko Waldon, who shares the Japanese curry recipe that she makes regularly for her family.

“Japanese curry is a common home cooked dish,” Yuko told Coal Coast magazine. “ It is yummy and anyone can make it!”

Yuko grew up in Nagano and Tokyo, Japan and moved to Australia in 2005 where she started her own family. She remembers her grandmother first making this curry when she was a little girl.

“When she cooked it, all the veg and meat were cut up into very small pieces. She would also make it spicy, and when dad cooked, he cut them into chunky pieces but not as spicy. I loved both ways of cooking and always enjoyed their home made curry,” said Yaku.

“We would sit and eat together. In summer we would sweat while eating curry and in winter we would feel warm.”

Yuko said she made this curry for the very first time when she was just eight years-old.

“It didn’t go well! it was overcooked and I don’t know why but I added salt so it was not just spicy it was salty. But they enjoyed it and seemed like they were happy with my work!

At the time I thought the curry wasn’t good enough, I was disappointed, but for them it was a very very special curry!”

“You can eat Japanese curry at any restaurant, but my family's curry is the best to me.

My memories with my family and my culture are very special and now I enjoy cooking for and with my children.”

Yuko’s Japanese Curry

SERVES 4

Ingredients

2 potatoes
1 carrot
1 onion
500g meat or meat substitute
1 tablespoon Vegetable oil
1 tablespoon of curry sauce (or you can use cubes)
Rice to steam (use medium grain rice)

Method

Peel all the vegetables and cut into mouth size pieces,cut meat into mouth size.
Prepare the rice using the rice cooker.
Heat the saucepan and add one tablespoon of vegetable oil.
When it gets warm (medium heat) add meat then cook it.
When the meat is cooked add the vegetables then mix them for three minutes.
Add water and cover the pot, cook it for 20 mins.
Add curry cubes into the pan and mix it till the soup gets thick.

Yuko’s tip: The curry tastes better if you leave it a day or so after cooking, to eat.
You can also use tomatoes, zucchini and Prawns for a wonderful alternative flavour.

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