“Kulcha” is a type of leavened flatbread. It is a popular dish in North Indian Cuisine and is served with spicy veg or non-veg curries such as Chole, Chicken Masala, Curd, Raita, Pickle or Dal Makhani. It is made in the big clay tandoor. Usually, it is not made as a daily food in houses but is served in restaurants because it requires big clay tandoor or oven to make. People eat the non-leavened flat bread such as roti, chapati or parathas daily at home. Kulchas can be made plain or with different stuffings such as paneer, potato, mix vegetables.
I have made kulcha stuffed with paneer (cottage cheese). Since we do not have the clay tandoors at home, I have made it on tava and roasted it on the open gas flame. Making it on the tava and then roasting it on open flame gives the same taste and texture. It is easy to make. The process of making Paneer Kulcha has three steps:
- Kneading dough
- Making paneer stuffing
- Rolling and roasting the kulcha
The Kulcha is made from refined flour or maida. But since I wanted to make it more healthy I have used less maida and more whole-wheat flour. The Paneer Kulcha made with whole wheat flour is soft even when cold.
The spices in the paneer stuffing can be adjusted. If you require more then add chopped green chili and more red chili powder. I have sprinkled kalonji or nigella seeds while rolling the kulcha. You can replace it with white or black sesame seeds if Kalonji is not available. I have served the kulcha with boondi raita for a lazy Sunday lunch. You can serve it with curry or dal of your choice and with different pickles. It tastes equally good with butter. It can be served during breakfast, lunch or dinner.
I am sharing with you the step by step video and photo of the above recipe.
Whole Wheat Paneer Kulcha
Ingredients
Dough
- 1.75 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour maida
- 1/4 tsp soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 3 tsp oil
- 1/4 cup yogurt
- 3/4 cup water or more if required to knead dough
Paneer Stuffing
- 400 gm cottage cheese paneer, grated
- 1 tsp chaat masala
- 1 tsp red chili powder or more if required
- 1/4 tsp cumin powder roasted
- 2 tbsp coriander chopped
- salt as needed
Rolling and Roasting
- 1/2 cup coriander chopped
- 2 tbsp nigella seeds kalonji
- water for brushing
- butter for applying on kulcha
- flour for dusting while rolling kulcha
Instructions
Dough
- Take whole wheat flour in a bowl.
- Add all purpose flour or maida to it. Mix it well.
- Add soda, baking powder, salt and sugar to it.
- Add oil.
- Add yogurt to it. Mix them well.
- Now add water and start kneading into a smooth dough. Use more water if required to knead the dough.
- Smoothen the dough with oil.
- Cover the dough for 2 hours with damp cloth and keep in a warm place.
Paneer stuffing
- Take grated paneer in a dish. Add chat masala, red chili powder, jeera powder and salt.
- Add chopped coriander to it.
- Mix them well and make dough.
- Make equal portions and make six balls from it.
Rolling and Roasting Kulcha
- After two hours, remove the cloth and knead the dough again to smoothen it.
- Make equal size balls from the dough.
- Now take a ball and flatten it with hands.
- Place paneer ball in it and start pleating the edges together.
- Seal the edges properly and roll the ball.
- Now flatten again and sprinkle kalonji and chopped coriander over it.
- Press them well. Flip it.
- Dust with flour and roll the kulcha in the oval shape. Apply water over it.
- Carefully remove the kulcha and place the water side on the heated tava. After two minutes the bubbles with start to form.
- Now flip the tava with kulcha over flame and try to cook on all sides moving the tava in all directions. The kulcha will start to puff up.
- The Kulcha has puffed up.
- Apply butter over it.
- Kulcha is ready.Gently remove and serve.
- I have served it with boondi raita.
Nice video. All the best for many others to come.