Pan Fried Curry Buns (Kare Oyaki)

Panfried Japanese Curry Buns stuffed with a flavourful tofu and veggie filling. These Vegan Karee Oyaki buns are super quick, easy and made with without yeast! Perfect for a grab and go breakfast, lunch or dinner. 

This past month, I've been obsessed with buns and dumps. Thanks to my favourite yeast free bun dough recipe, I'm pretty sure I've made some sort of bao or dumpling everyday–stuffed with all kinds of stuff (mostly leftovers). Something about the process of baking them is so satisfying and therapeutic.

Inspiration

One of my favourite fillings I've made were these Curry Buns, inspired by Kareeman which is Japanese steamed curry beef buns often made with leftover curry and oyaki which is Japanese style panfried buns. I made this recipe a couple times with different ingredients but the combination of carrots, tofu and onions was my favourite.

As for the dough, although I already have a tried-and-true yeast free bun recipe, I had some dairy free yogurt left in the fridge that desperately needed to be used. The idea of using it in buns came to mind– inspired by the internet craze two-ingredient magic dough that uses self rising flour and yogurt! I honestly didn't know how it would come out... but this was one of those experiments that blew me away. The result was a soft, fluffy and perfectly moist bun. So for those are you requesting a oil free bun recipe, here ya go!

Ingredients for Curry Buns (+substitutions)

For the bun:

• Cake flour: Cake flour helps with the softness of the buns since there is no yeast in this recipe. However, you can use a combination of all purpose flour and corn starch. If using only all purpose flour, the buns will be slightly more dense.
• Baking powder: Since we're not using self rising flour or yeast, the baking powder is what makes it fluffy.
• Dairy free yogurt OR tofu: I used coconut yogurt with a higher fat percentage. I haven't tried this with other types of yogurt, but using a yogurt with more fat helps keep the buns nice and soft. I've also tried this with blended soft tofu which works quite well too! Simply blend the same amount of soft tofu with 1 teaspoon of neutral oil and use that instead.

For the filling:

• Pressed tofu: I used pressed tofu but you can use any firm tofu and press the moisture out. If you prefer to keep these soy free, you can also use TVP or mushrooms!
• Carrots: Potatoes are also a great option.
• Onions
• Garlic
• Curry Powder & Cumin: I used my Japanese curry powder recipe and added in a touch more cumin.
• Soy sauce
• Ketchup

How to make panfried buns without yeast

First make the filling. Add the grated carrots and onions to a bowl. Cover and microwave for 1 minute, this will soften them up a bit more. However, if you don't mind more texture in your buns you can skip this step. Crumble in the pressed tofu and add the garlic, curry powder, cumin, soy sauce, ketchup salt and pepper. Mix it with your hands until well combined. If the filling feels overly wet, add in 1-2 teaspoon of flour (this will depend on how much you press your tofu or if you use other ingredients). 

Next, make the dough. You can either use a stand mix or mix by hand. The nice thing about this easy dough recipe is that it is very forgiving. Unlike traditional steamed or panfried baos, the dough doesn't require to be super smooth and you also don't need to knead the dough for a long time. Just ensure its mixed enough that the dough comes together. The texture of the dough should be soft and elastic-y.

Now assemble the buns. Roll the dough into a log and divide it into 10 (32-33g) pieces. Roll each one into a ball. Cover the dough with a damp kitchen cloth as you fill each one to prevent them from drying. 

Roll out each ball of dough about 4-4.5 inches in diameter, with the middle slightly thicker. I find it easier if the diameter of the dough is slightly larger but thick enough that it doesn't rip. Place about 2 tablespoon of filling inside (28g) and seal it closed. I pleated them baozi or shengjian style just for the looks but traditionally, oyaki is just sealed by pinching the dough together. Repeat for remaining buns.

How to pan fry buns (with crispy bottoms!)

Add a little oil to a non-stick pan and place it over medium heat. Place the buns on the pan and cook until the bottom is light golden brown (about 4 minutes). Add water to the pan about ⅓ of the buns height and quickly cover with a lid. Let it cook for 8-10 minutes or until most of the water has evaporated. Remove the lid and add scallions if desired. Cook for another 2 minutes until all the water has evaporated and bottom is crispy.

These are best served right away and since it makes a small batch you shouldn't need to store any leftovers. However, if you do I recommend freezing them over keeping them in the fridge. Simply place them in a freezer safe bag and freeze.

Tips, tricks & additional recipe notes

• Weigh the dough ingredients: As always, I recommend weighing out the ingredients for the dough. The amount of yogurt added depends on the humidity of your kitchen and the brand of yogurt you use but it should be about 150-160g. Start with less and add more as you need.
• Form the filling: I find it much easier to wrap the bun if the filling is packed and shaped into a ball so that it doesn't fall out while pleating.
• Heat temperature: When first pan frying the buns, aim for a light golden brown. If you over do it, they'll most likely burn with the second round of pan frying.
• Gluten free: I'm happy to say these work with King Arthurs gluten free flour! I haven't tested it with any other brand but if you do, please let me know how it goes!

More vegan buns, baos & dumplings to try:

• The Ultimate Vegan Sheng Jian Bao (Pan fried soup dumplings) -- Coming soon!
• Vegan Gyoza
• Crispy Gyoza with Wings
• Yeast Free Stuffed Bao Buns (Steamed + Pan fried)
• Vegan Char Siu Bao
• Lazy Dragon Roll

SAVE IT FOR LATER! ↓

If you recreate this Pan Fried Japanese Curry Buns recipe let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment and rating below or by tagging me on Instagram @Okonomikitchen, I love seeing all of your tasty recreations!
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