Japanese Curry Bread (Kare Pan)

Instructions

1. Brown the beef: Place the cubed beef, fat-side down, in a cold pan. Turn the heat to medium-high. Once most of the fat has rendered, flip the beef to brown all sides. Remove the beef from the pan, leaving the rendered fat.
2. Sauté vegetables: Turn the heat down to medium. Add the carrot, onion, and potato to the pan with a pinch of salt. Sauté for 5–6 minutes until the vegetables start to soften.
3. Make curry mixture: Add the curry powder, a pinch of salt, and the flour. Stir everything together. Pour in the beef stock and stir until the sauce comes to a simmer and thickens. Ensure there are no lumps. Add the browned beef back to the pan, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 35 minutes until the beef is tender.
4. Cool the curry: Remove the curry from the heat and spread it on a tray to cool completely in the fridge. The curry should be thick enough to stuff into the bread later—if it's too thin, it will be difficult to work with.
5. Prepare the dough: In a large bowl, mix 120ml (½ cup) warm water with the yeast, sugar, and salt until dissolved. Add the flour and stir to bring the dough together. Knead for 6–7 minutes until smooth. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a towel, and let it rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
6. Shape and fill dough: Divide the dough into six equal pieces and shape each into a ball. Roll each ball out to the size of a teacup saucer. Place 2–3 tablespoons of the cooled curry mixture in the centre of each dough round. Fold the dough over like a taco, crimping the edges to seal.
7. Bread the dough: Dip each filled dough in the beaten eggs, then roll in panko breadcrumbs to coat completely. Place on a tray dusted with extra breadcrumbs.
8. Fry: Heat a deep fryer or a large pot of oil to 165°C (325°F). Carefully fry the Kare pan for 10–12 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown all over.
9. Serve: Serve and enjoy!