What is Kulcha?
Kulcha is a variety of Indian bread. It is typically made with all-purpose flour and leavened with yeast or yogurt with baking powder. You can make the dough with water or milk. This Indian flatbread, Kulcha can ke kept plain with no stuffing, but most often in restaurants you will find it is stuffed with potatoes or onion or some fresh greens. My favorite has always been garlic kulcha but during winter months, I love making the combination of potatoes (“aloo”) and fresh fenugreek leaves (“methi”) stuffed in Kulcha.
Ingredients for Aloo Methi Kulcha
For the Aloo Methi Stuffing
Potatoes - You need either boiled or steam potatoes. Any variety of potatoes will work for the recipe. Avoid very waxy or gummy textured potatoes. Russet potatoes are definitely the best.Fresh Fenugreek Leaves - Winter season is famous for fresh fenugreek leaves. You get the best fresh variety. I get the tender ones and don’t even bother to pick the leaves separately as the stems are very tender and cooks quickly.Garlic - Freshly grated garlic works amazing with any greens.Spices - Cumin powder, coriander powder, fennel powder, chili powder and turmeric powder is used to stir-fry the boiled potatoes with chopped fenugreek leaves.
The stuffing just on its own is amazing with paratha or even as a sandwich with a slice of cheese.
Fenugreek leaves are best during winter months!
Methi malai paneer sabudana vada with methi Methi Masoor Dal
For the paratha dough
The dough is similar to my Instant Naan Dough
All purpose flour - You can make the dough with healthier choice of flour and try gluten-free too, but this stuffed paratha tastes best when you prepare with all-purpose flour (“maida”)Yogurt and Baking Soda - Some likes to make this paratha using yeast, but I like to use yogurt and making soda. The combination of yogurt with baking soda in the dough makes it soft and fluffy without making it chewy.Salt and Sugar - Both salt and sugar is a basic seasoning needed in this dough.Ghee and Oil - Ghee is added while making the dough, and oil is added at a later stage of shaping the dough and paratha
I like to knead the dough with water and I always keep the dough a little sticky, more hydrated which can be a little difficult to handle, but it does make the softest paratha. Dry Spice powder added in the paratha It is this spice powder that makes this Amritsari Kulcha different from other variety kulcha.
Dry Pomegranate seedsCoriander SeedsFresh cilantro leavesSesame seedssaltsugar
Steps to prepare Aloo Methi Kulcha
Make the dough
1- In a bowl add the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, ghee and yogurt. Give a mix. 2- Add water little by little and start mixing the flour. We are not kneading at this step. Just add enough water and mix to form a rough dough. 3- At this stage, cover the dough with a clear wrap and leave aside for 15 minutes. This will allow the flour to absorb all the water. 4 - Wet your hand and transfer the sticky dough to a counter or a large plate, and at this stage you lift dough and fold it a few times. This will strength the dough. Watch the full video to understand this step better.
Prepare the filling
5- Add a little oil to the dough and leave it covered for a couple of hours. 6- In the meantime, prepare the filling by add oil in a heavy bottom skillet. Add ginger garlic paste and all the spice powder. Stir and cook the spices for a couple of minutes. 7- Add the chopped fenugreek leaves and stir it around to cook the leaves for 2 minutes. 8- Add mashed potatoes and stir it around. Taste for salt and add if needed. If you like spicy food, add finely chopped chili while making the filling. Keep the filling aside to cool down before you stuff and roll the kulcha.
Filling the dough
9- Divide the dough into equal portions, based on how big or small the kulchas you like. Take one small portion and stretch it out. The dough is very soft and I avoid using a rolling pin. 10- Add the filling and brings the edges together to seal tight, and then roll it gently to form a ball. 11- Now press the ball on a rolling board and press it gently to flatten it. Again, I avoid using a rolling it as the dough is very soft. 12- Sprinkle the spice powder on top and press it gently again.
Make the kulcha
13-Heat a cast iron skillet and layer the flattened dough, spice side up. 14- Cover and let it cook for a few minutes. You will notice that the dough is puffing on the side and sometimes even in the center. 15- Remove the lid, and add ghee. Then flip the kulcha and cook for a few more minutes. Kulcha tastes best when enjoyed warm right away. Pair with yogurt or chutney or our favorite chili achar or garlic achar You can skip the stuffing, make it plain but with the dry spices sprinkled on top and serve with Amritsari Chole Masala
