Semi-Homemade Japanese Kare Pan (Curry Bread)

This is my interpretation of a kind of street food I had when I visited Japan. They are crunchy balls of bread filled with Japanese brown curry. I couldn't get enough of them and neither will you.

• Preparation Time: 25 mins
• Cooking Time: 43 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 8 mins
• Calories: 297 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 ½ cups water, or as needed
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• oil for frying
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 onion, diced small
• 1 pound ground beef sirloin
• panko bread crumbs
• 1 large potato, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 cubes Japanese curry roux, or more to taste
• 1 (11 ounce) can refrigerated French bread dough

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 2

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add potatoes; cook until mostly tender, about 5 minutes. Add peas; continue cooking until potatoes are soft, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain.

Step 3

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Season ground beef with salt and pepper and add to the skillet with onion; cook and stir until beef is browned and onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.

Step 4

Pour 2 1/2 cups water over beef mixture; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and stir in potatoes and peas. Simmer, skimming scum off the surface, until flavors combine, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool, about 5 minutes. Add curry roux cubes; stir until dissolved.

Step 5

Let curry mixture cool, about 20 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until thickened, 8 hours to overnight.

Step 6

Cut dough into 1/2-inch slices and roll out each slice to a 3-inch circle. Place a teaspoon of chilled curry into the center of each circle. Pull up sides of the circle over curry and pinch edges together to form a round ball.

Step 7

Beat egg in a small bowl. Place panko bread crumbs in a shallow dish. Dip each ball of dough into the beaten egg. Press into bread crumbs to coat, shaking off excess.

Step 8

Fry in the hot oil until evenly browned on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes.