The bright red ingredient in Japanese chicken curry katsu

food-identificationjapanese-cuisine

I have had chicken curry katsu at different restaurants in different countries, and there is always a diced bright red ingredient, the color of a tomato, put on like a garnish. Some told me it was a red pepper, others a variety of carrot. I could not ascertain the flavor from eating a small bit of just that.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/59/Curry_rice_by_Hyougushi_in_Kyoto.jpg

This picture seems to have it hiding in the back behind the rice, and I alway have seen it served in a pile in the corner, although I often have seen it chopped into smaller bits.

Does anyone know what ingredient is used? Is that intended as a garnish not to be eaten?

Best Answer

This appears to be a Japanese pickle mixture, made with daikon radish amount other things, called Furkujinzuke.

Fukujinzuke is a mixture of Japanese radish (daikon), lotus root, cucumber and eggplant which are preserved in a soya sauce and sweet cooking wine (mirin) base. The sweet brown or red relish is served as a garnish to Japanese curry (kare raisu).

Source: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2349.html