Battle of the instant Japanese beef curry

House, RM7.31

Packaging
This packet of instant Japanese curry rice (also known as ‘kare raisu’) is a sunny yellow with whimsical illustrations of garlic and coriander.

Appearance
House’s curry comes in a rather yellowish shade of brown, with sizeable beef slices.

Scent
An assault on the senses; there was a distinct smell of cinnamon and assorted roasted spices in this curry.

Flavours
There was a very subtle spicy hint, but it was the sweetness that got a bit curried away and seemed slightly artificial after a few bites.

Verdict
We like the packaging and sizeable additions of protein, but we think curries should retain a certain degree of spiciness.



Hachi, RM7.31

Packaging
We don’t care much for Hachi’s modern packaging with lots of swirly green and black designs, but we like the helpful illustrated cooking instructions. Apparently this is a boil-in-the-bag Japanese curry.

Appearance
Hachi’s curry is a rich caramel-brown, with small cubes of soft carrots and even smaller (peppercorn-sized) bits that turned out to be ground beef.

Scent
In comparison to House, Hachi had a richer, meatier scent that was pleasantly appetising.

Flavours
The spices in this curry are well-balanced, with a pleasant sweet note that went well with the spicy, beefy flavours of the curry. We wished we had more rice to mop it up.

Verdict
Hachi is a deserving winner in this battle of the kare raisu due to its robust flavours and fragrant beefiness.

Find these instant Japanese beef curry from Isetan.