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Japanese Curry Bun

Japanese Curry Bun (Kare Pan)

With its crispy crust and savory curry center, Japanese Curry Bread (Kare Pan) is the ultimate comfort snack. Love Japanese curry? You’ll love this even more—try making it at home!
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 15 minutes
Resting Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 8
Course: Bread, Snack
Cuisine: Japanese
Calories: 244
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1¼ cups bread flour
  • 50 g cake flour ≈⅓ cup + 1 Tbsp
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 15 g sugar ≈1 Tbsp + ½ tsp
  • 125 ml whole milk ½ cup + 1 tsp
  • 1 tsp instant yeast
  • 10 g unsalted butter just under 1 Tbsp
  • 1½ cups Japanese curry thick, refrigerated
  • 1 large egg for coating
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 4 cups neutral oil for frying

Method
 

  1. Make curry a day ahead; refrigerate until thick and pasty.
  2. Combine bread flour, cake flour, salt, sugar, milk, yeast, and butter to form dough.
  3. Knead until smooth; let rise until doubled (about 1 hour).
  4. Divide dough into equal portions and flatten each piece.
  5. Add cold curry filling to the center; seal edges tightly.
  6. Let filled buns rest for 15 minutes.
  7. Dip each bun in beaten egg, then coat with panko.
  8. Heat oil to 340°F (170°C); deep-fry buns until golden brown.
  9. Drain on paper towels and serve warm.

Notes

  • Only use cold curry filling to prevent dough breakage.
  • Maintain oil temperature for even frying.
  • Can be frozen before frying. Thaw and fry fresh when needed.