Amritsari Kulcha | Stuffed Kulcha

Make this traditional stuffed kulcha with chole masala. These are rich and stuffed Indian flatbreads native to Punjab (North India). The name says "Amritsari Kulcha."

This kulcha is delicious and divinely combines with chole masala. You can make regular chole masala, Amritsari chole masala, or Pindi chole. If you are a frequent visitor to my blog and like my other recipes, you must have noticed that I'm a great fan of North Indian Food. This stuffed Amritsari kulcha is another great recipe from my North Indian Kitchen.

What is Kulcha?

Kulcha is a kind of soft Indian flatbread that is mildly leavened. This is made with fermented flour dough. For fermentation or leavening, you may use yeast. However, this recipe doesn't contain yeast. Hence, it is a no-yeast instant kulcha recipe.

This is an authentic North Indian recipe. Amritsari kulcha is generally stuffed with spiced potatoes and cottage cheese. However, you can also make plain butter kulcha without any stuffing. It tastes a little similar to naan. And also soft like it.

Is Kulcha the same as Naan?

I was also trying to understand the difference between naan and kulcha. But I realized that both are almost the same with little to no difference. Typically, yeast is used as a leavening agent in naan, whereas in kulcha, the same work is done with baking powder and baking soda. Otherwise, both are almost the same.

For example, if you are looking for yeast-free naan, use the same leavening agent we will use in this recipe. So, for me, it's almost the same. Some say naan is made with refined flour, and kulcha is made with half-refined and half-wheat flour. However, you can use refined flour for both recipes or half for both bread types. Doesn't make any difference.

What goes best with kulcha?

Kulcha is best paired with chole. In North India, particularly in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, this is chole kulcha, one of the best street foods.

For Amritsari kulcha, chole masala goes the best. However, you can also serve this with other gravies like mushroom tikka masala, paneer tikka masala, or any of your choice.

How To Make Stuffed Amritsari Kulcha?

Ingredients Needed:

Flour: Normally refined flour (maida). but you can take half wheat + half refined flour

Yogurt/ curd: take thick curd/ hung curd. This will help in leavening and make the kulcha soft and fluffy.

Baking powder + Baking Soda

Method of Preparation:

Let's divide the whole process into three steps.

I. Prepare the dough:

Add flour, sugar, salt, yogurt, and ghee in a large mixing bowl. Mix it till it crumbles. Then, add warm milk slowly and gradually make a tight dough. Knead it well for 10 minutes. Cover the dough with a moist cloth. Let it rest for 45 minutes - 1 hr.

II. Prepare potato stuffing:

Add mashed potatoes, ground spices, and lemon juice in a mixing bowl. Mix all ingredients well. Make sure there are no larger chunks of potato left in mashed potatoes.

III. Stuff, roll, and roast:

After 45 mins, remove the cloth and divide the dough into equal-sized balls. Roll the dough balls to flatten them slightly. You can also flatten it with greased hands.

Now place 1 tbsp of stuffing on the flattened piece and seal from all ends. Make a smooth ball. Now, roll it lightly to an oval or round shape. If required, dust a little flour in this process.

Heat the griddle or tawa. Apply water on the back side of the kulcha and place that part on the griddle or tawa so that it will stick to the pan. Then, when you see it starts to puff, flip the griddle so that the kulcha will come in direct flame. This will give the feel of being cooked in the tandoor (fire clay). Cook all sides equally by rotating the grill. Once it's done (as in the picture), apply ghee or butter on top.

And your delicious soft kulcha is ready.

Tips for Best Results

Knead the dough well for 10 minutes and let it sit for a minimum of 45 minutes to 1 hr to get time for leavening.

Don't use oil while rolling out the kulcha. Otherwise, it won't stick to the pan even after you brush the layer with water. Instead, dust it with flour to avoid sticking it to the rolling board.

Use iron tawa for this kulcha recipe. Otherwise, it won't stick to the pan in a nonstick pan or griddle. In such cases, instead of inverting the pan, you may have to use the tong and roast it under direct fire until it is cooked.

Don't make very heavy and thick kulchas, as while inverting, they may fall because of their heavy weight.

Recipe Card for Amritsari Kulcha

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