Japanese curry is usually made by cooking meat and vegetables with a curry base, which is sold in dissolvable cubes similar to bouillon. The rich, saucy stew can be served over noodles or rice, and Tasting Table recipe developer Miriam Hahn uses this secret ingredient for a touch of sweetness and complexity in her curry.

Japanese curry often features a savory-sweetness in addition to the curry spices. To emulate the sweetness of instant curry roux, which often contains sugar, Hahn opts to use grated apple instead, which gets simmered into the curry sauce along with carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, and edamame in her veggie curry recipe.

"I love using an apple [...] instead of a sweetener," Hahn says. "This way, you get all of the extra fiber and nutrition that an apple provides without any processed ingredients." Flavor-enhancing additions like apple also tend to disappear into the curry sauce, leaving behind a sweet complexity with no distracting flavors or textures.