Today, I revisited the Food Place food court, located at Pavilion Mall. The food court is located beside the Oriental Kopi Restaurant. It is time to try food from another stall.
This time, I ordered Japanese tempura curry rice from the Xia Yuan Yuan stall, which cost RM16.90 per bowl. This dish is now being sold in conjunction with Malaysia Merdeka.
The dish includes Shrimp Tempura (Ebi Tempura) and Lotus Root Tempura (Renkon Tempura). Both are coated and fried in tempura batter. It would provide a unique, firm, and slightly crunchy texture.
It comes with a generous serving of classic Japanese curry that is thick, rich, and glossy. Nestled within the curry are large, tender-looking chunks of potato and carrot.
The dish itself is a combination of two iconic Japanese foods, the curry and tempura. Each with its fascinating history of cultural exchange and adaptation.
Curry was introduced to Japan during the Meiji Era (1868-1912) by the British. The British Royal Navy had incorporated a thickened, stew-like version of Indian curry into their naval rations to combat beriberi, a vitamin B1 deficiency. This "curry powder" version was less spicy and more savoury than traditional Indian curries. The Japanese further adapted the flavour profile to suit their tastes, making it thicker, sweeter, and milder. They created instant curry roux blocks in the 1950s, making it incredibly easy for anyone to cook at home.
Tempura's origins lie not in Japan, but in Portugal. The technique of deep-frying food in batter was brought to Japan by Portuguese missionaries and traders who were active in Nagasaki during the 16th century. The Japanese took this basic concept and refined it into an art form. They developed an incredibly light and airy batter made from flour, egg, and ice-cold water. Over the centuries, particularly during the Edo period, tempura evolved from a street food snack into a sophisticated dish served in dedicated restaurants.
Combining these two beloved dishes—the comforting, savoury curry rice and the crispy, delicate tempura—is a popular and delicious pairing in modern Japanese cuisine, bringing together different textures and flavours in a single, satisfying meal.
