This is one of my all-time favorite Japanese breads that you can find in bakeries or convenience stores all over Japan.
If you’re a fan of Japanese cuisine or just love trying new and delicious snacks, you need to try Curry Pan (カレーパン, pronounced Kare Pan).
This savory treat combines the rich flavors of Japanese curry with the satisfying crunch of a perfectly fried bread roll. It’s a popular snack that features a bread roll filled with a flavorful Japanese curry. This delectable roll is then coated in breadcrumbs and deep-fried until it reaches a golden, crispy perfection. The combination of textures and flavors makes it a unique and delightful culinary experience.
Whether you try it from a local bakery or make it yourself, this crispy, curry-filled treat is sure to become a favorite.
If you are interested in making other dishes that use Japanese Curry, visit my recipe page here.
Homemade Japanese Curry
Making curry pan at home can be a fun and rewarding experience. Here’s a basic outline of the process:
- Cook the Curry Filling: Cook a thick Japanese curry using curry roux, vegetables, and your choice of meat. Refrigerate it overnight, as day-old curry is best for this since it is thicker. Here is my recipe for Japanese curry, which is also delicious to eat with white rice or in curry udon.
- Prepare the Dough: Roll out a soft and slightly sweet bread dough, then let it rise. You can also just use regular bread from the grocery store as well! That works great too.
- Assemble the Curry Pan: Divide the dough into portions, flatten each portion, and place a spoonful of curry filling in the center. Seal the edges to form a ball.
- Coat and Fry: Roll each filled dough ball in panko breadcrumbs, then deep-fry until golden and crispy.
Japanese Curry Pan
- Total Time: 50 minutes
Description
Japanese curry pan is a crispy, deep-fried bread roll filled with a savory, spiced curry filling, offering a delicious contrast between the crunchy exterior and the flavorful, hearty interior.
Ingredients
- 12 slices of bread (or see my ingredients below for homemade bread)–most types of bread will do, so long as it doesn’t have a lot of holes, or else the curry will leak through. I don’t recommend using sourdough for this reason.
- 2 cups leftover Japanese curry (see my recipe for Japanese curry HERE)
- 2–3 large eggs, beaten
- 1 1/2 cups panko
Homemade Bread (if not using store-bought):
- 1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- Vegetable oil (for frying)
Instructions
If you are using store-bought bread:
- Place one slice of bread on a flat, clean surface. Add about 1/3 cup of leftover curry in the center, then top it with another slice of bread. Using a small bowl or cup slightly smaller in diameter than the bread, press it down onto the top slice to seal the two pieces of bread together.
- Tip: If you find that the curry is leaking out of your bread, use a rolling pin to roll out your bread before placing curry on top. This will help seal any holes that may be in your bread causing leakages.
- FOR BAKING: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). In a pan heated over medium heat with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil, toast the panko until it turns golden brown. Crack the eggs into a medium-sized bowl, and place the toasted panko in another. Dip the bread into the eggs first, followed by the panko, ensuring that the bread is thoroughly coated. Once the oven is heated, on a baking sheet, spray some olive oil and place your breads on, leaving about 1 inch of space between each of them. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
- FOR DEEP-FRYING: To two separate bowls, add your eggs and panko. Dip the bread into the eggs first, followed by the panko. In a deep pan or pot over medium heat, pour in your vegetable oil. Once it begins bubbling a little, drop in your curry breads. Reduce the heat to low the bread cooks all the way through. Flip the bread to make sure it’s cooked evenly on each side.
If you are making homemade bread:
- In a large bowl, mix together all bread ingredients and knead on a flat surface for 15 minutes (or use a stand mixer with a dough hook for 10 minutes).
- Divide the dough into 6 pieces and sprinkle flour onto the flat surface. Use a rolling pin to roll each of the pieces flat (~1 centimeter thick).
- Place approximately 1/3 cup of leftover curry in the center of each piece of flattened dough. Bring two opposite edges of the dough together and pinch them to seal, then repeat with the remaining sides until the filling is fully enclosed. Pinch all the seams tightly and twist to secure the closure.
- FOR BAKING: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). In a pan heated over medium heat with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil, toast the panko until it turns golden brown. Crack the eggs into a medium-sized bowl, and place the toasted panko in another. Dip the dough ball into the eggs first, followed by the panko, ensuring that the dough is thoroughly coated. Once the oven is heated, on a baking sheet, spray some olive oil and place your dough balls on, leaving about 1 inch of space between each of them. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the dough is baked all the way through.
- FOR DEEP-FRYING: To two separate bowls, add your eggs and panko. Dip the dough ball into the eggs first, followed by the panko. In a deep pan or pot over medium heat, pour in your vegetable oil. Once it begins bubbling a little, drop in your curry breads. Reduce the heat to low the bread cooks all the way through. Flip the bread to make sure it’s cooked evenly on each side.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Makes 6
Check out my other recipes that use Japanese curry!:
