Sapporo Soup Curry
Photo: Koichi Oda · CC BY-SA 2.0

History

Sapporo soup curry traces to a mid-1970s kissaten called Ajanta that served a curry-spiced medicinal chicken broth. The dish was named soup curry in 1993 at Magic Spice, founded by Taizan Shimomura, who drew on Indonesian soto ayam and Pakistani spice traditions. By the late 2000s, the city had hundreds of dedicated soup curry shops and the dish was the second signature bowl of Sapporo (after miso ramen). Magic Spice, Suage and Garaku all keep the original spice profile and the su-age vegetable frying technique that distinguishes Sapporo-style from Tokyo's curry sauces.

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Common allergens: Gluten (some shops), Dairy (some shops)

Make it at home

Yield 2Hands-on 40 minTotal 1 hr 30 minDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 2 chicken legs, bone-in
  • 1 onion, sliced thin
  • 2 tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 carrot, chunked
  • 1 potato, chunked
  • 1 eggplant, halved
  • 6 okra
  • 1 small lotus root, sliced
  • 2 tbsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1-inch ginger
  • 700ml chicken stock
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp Hokkaido butter
  • Vegetable oil for su-age frying
  • Rice, cooked, to serve

Method

  1. Season chicken legs with salt and pepper; brown in a heavy pot for 4 minutes per side, set aside.
  2. In the same pot, soften sliced onion, garlic and ginger in butter for 8 minutes until caramelised.
  3. Add tomato paste, tomatoes and all spices; cook 3 minutes to develop.
  4. Pour in chicken stock; add the chicken legs back. Simmer covered 45 minutes until chicken is falling off the bone.
  5. Meanwhile, deep-fry the carrot, potato, lotus root, eggplant and okra at 170C oil for 2-3 minutes each (this is the Sapporo su-age technique). Drain.
  6. Taste the broth; adjust salt and add more curry powder if you want it spicier.
  7. Serve in a bowl: chicken leg with the su-age vegetables arranged on top, soup broth covering halfway. Rice in a separate bowl on the side.
  8. Eat by spooning broth onto rice or dipping each spoonful of rice into the broth.

Tip from the editors. Don't skip the su-age step; deep-fried vegetables stay crisp in the broth and define the Sapporo style.

Where to eat sapporo soup curry

Sapporo Soup Curry in Sapporo

Magic Spice Sapporo Honten ★ 4.5

¥¥ JapaneseShiroishi Ku

The original soup curry shop. Founder Taizan Shimomura coined soup curry here in 1993, riffing on Indonesian soto ayam with a chicken broth and 30-plus.

OrderChicken-leg soup curry at the kakuteru spice level.

TipSix heat levels from junrei to sumire; ask for the haskap lassi as the cooler.

Directions

Soup Curry Suage+ ★ 4.4

¥¥ JapaneseSusukino

The Susukino soup-curry shop two minutes from the station. Knuckle pork, chicken leg and Hokkaido vegetables in a clearer broth than Magic Spice.

OrderKnuckle pork soup curry with 21 Hokkaido vegetables.

TipLong queue from 12:00; Suage2 is the same operator one block over with the same menu.

Directions

Soup Curry Garaku Sapporo Honten ★ 4.4

¥¥ JapaneseOdori

Founded 2007, Garaku built its name on a clear 21-spice broth and slow-cooked chicken leg. Underground room behind a stone facade near Bus Center.

OrderTender chicken leg with Hokkaido vegetables; spice level five for first-timers.

TipQueue forms 11:30 on weekends; the Tanukikoji branch is a five-minute walk west.

Directions

Picante Kita 13-jo Honten ★ 4.3

¥¥ JapaneseHokkaido University

Picante opened 1996 north of Hokkaido University campus, one of the founding soup-curry houses after Magic Spice. The Hokudai-mae original keeps the queues.

OrderKnuckle pork soup curry, broth of choice (1-4 spice).

TipFour-minute walk from Kita 12-jo subway; 44 seats but expect 30 minutes at peak.

Directions

Curry Shop S ★ 4.1

¥¥ JapaneseSusukino

Second-generation Susukino soup-curry shop with farm-direct vegetables from Naganuma. Three broths plus a Pakistani-style fruit curry on the menu.

OrderChicken soup curry with the second-tier spice; finish with the haskap lassi.

TipFamily-friendly with kids' chairs; ladies-night specials on Tuesdays.

Directions

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