Amritsari Kulcha & Chole

A delicious brunch of Amritsari Kulcha & Chole seems to be a popular dish amongst people in the North of India. That is where the name Amritsari comes from (North Indian city of Amritsar). I have never been there, but am always fascinated by the beautiful Golden Temple and the pictures I have seen. I have heard of delicious, hearty food of Amritsar: flat breads with a spoonful of ghee and spicy curries, sounds awesomely amazing!!

Kwality Sweets, (formerly known as Lucky Dhabba) in Sunnyvale, serves delicious weekend brunch of non-fried Amritsari Kulcha and Chole. We just love it! A very rustic, picnic food it is. Yes, we would normally box their food to carry it to a strawberry picking or a cherry picking picnic. After few hours of fruit picking, we would spread our plastic mats under the cherry tree and enjoy this delicious Indian meal. Doesn't that sound fun? You could also prepare these delicious Kulchas and enjoy them at home. Here is a perfect recipe for perfect kulchas every time.

To make 6 Kulchas:
2 cups all-purpose flour/maida (you could also use whole wheat flour for health purpose)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ghee
1/2 cup plain yogurt/ dahi

For the filling
2 large potatoes (boiled)
salt to taste
lime juice
Chopped green chillies (to your spice level)
1 tsp. garam masala powder
1 tsp. grated ginger 

To garnish kulcha
2 tbsp. coarsely ground coriander seeds
Chopped cilantro
Red chilli powder

• Mix 2 cups all-purpose flour/maida with 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1 tsp. ghee and 1/2 cup plain yogurt/ dahi. Use some water (if needed) to make a soft dough. (You could substitute wheat flour for all purpose flour too.) 
• Remove the dough on a clean, flat surface. Knead the dough well. If the dough feel sticky, do not worry. As you work the dough, it tends to get less sticky. You could also divide the dough into 2 parts and knead each part separately. Make a soft ball of a well kneaded dough and set it aside covered for 20-25 minutes.  
• Boil 2 large potatoes. Cool and peel them. Add 1 tsp. salt, lime juice, chopped green chillies (to taste), 1 tsp. garam masala powder, and 1 tsp. grated ginger. Mix well and keep the filling aside 
• Divide your well rested kulcha dough into 6 equal parts.
• Grease the dough with some ghee or oil and flatten it. You could use a rolling pin to roll the dough to 3-4 inch diameter.
• Place 1 part of potato filling on the dough. Bring the sides together. Press them well to fuse it well. Make a smooth ball. Use your fingers to flatten it gently. You could also use a rolling pin the roll the stuffed dough. Roll the dough to form a even 6-7 inch flat bread/kulcha.  
• Sprinkle some ground coriander seeds and press them in well. Sprinkle some cilantro and chilli powder too.
• Preheat the oven to 500F temperature or the highest temperature on your convection oven. I also like to use baking stone/pizza stone to bake them evenly. You could use regular baking sheet too. Always preheat baking stone for 15 minutes.
• Gently place each kulcha on the hot baking stone. Bake kulchas for 5-6 minutes (or till they turn golden brown) on 500F temperature. The key is to create tandoor like temperature and to cook them on high heat. This will make the kulchas cook evenly but yet remain soft. Slow baking will make the kulchas hard and crisp.
• Remove when done and apply some butter or ghee. 
• Serve with sliced onions and hot, spicy Chole or your favorite curry or just chilled yogurt.

Here is step-by-step pictorial recipe to make 6 Kulchas:

Mix 2 cups all-purpose flour/maida with 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1 tsp. ghee and 1/2 cup plain yogurt/ dahi. Use some water (if needed) to make a soft dough.
(You could substitute wheat flour for all purpose flour too.)

Since I wanted to share Kulchas with my next door neighbor and my friend, I doubled the ingredients. This just reminded me of my childhood in India.  Every time mummy cooked some new and delicious dish/meal, she would ask us to take some for our next door neighbors. This was always mutual! We would be so excited when our neighbors would bring in some delicacy to taste :) This sharing never ended!!

Remove the dough on a clean, flat surface. Knead the dough well. If the dough feel sticky, do not worry. As you work the dough, it tends to get less sticky. You could also divide the dough into 2 parts and knead each part separately. Make a soft ball of a well kneaded dough and set it aside covered for 20-25 minutes.

To prepare filling for 6 kulchas :

Boil 2 large potatoes. Cool and peel them. Add 1 tsp. salt, lime juice, chopped green chillies (to taste), 1 tsp. garam masala powder, and 1 tsp. grated ginger. Mix well and keep the filling aside.

Chole/ Chickpea curry was almost ready simmering away for more taste!

For the recipe of Chole, click on the link here:  http://shitals-kitchen.blogspot.com/2013/04/chole-bature.html

Use a mortar and pestle to roughly grind 2 tbsp. coriander seeds.

These will be used to top the kulchas.

Finely chop cilantro and keep some red chilli powder too for kulchas.

Workplace read to begin rolling Kulchas!!

Divide your well rested kulcha dough into 6 equal parts.

 Grease the dough with some ghee or oil and flatten it. You could use a rolling pin to roll the dough to 3-4 inch diameter.

Place 1 part of potato filling on the dough. Bring the sides together. Press them well to fuse it well. Make a smooth ball. Use your fingers to flatten it gently. You could also use a rolling pin the roll the stuffed dough. Roll the dough to form a even 6-7 inch flat bread/kulcha. 

Sprinkle some ground coriander seeds and press them in well. Sprinkle some cilantro and chilli powder too.

Prepare all kulchas first and then bake them or you could do it in batches too.

Preheat the oven to 500F temperature or the highest temperature on your convection oven. I also like to use baking stone/pizza stone to bake them evenly. Always preheat baking stone for 15 minutes.

Oven stone tends to turn dark with more baking process, so please do not think my baking stone is dirty :) 

Gently place each kulcha on the hot baking stone. Bake kulchas for 5-6 minutes (or till they turn golden brown) on 500F temperature. The key is to create tandoor like temperature and to cook them on high heat. This will make the kulchas cook evenly but yet remain soft. Slow baking will make the kulchas hard and crisp.

Kulchas puff up while cooking. This will ensure even cooking :) 

Love it!!

Remove when done and apply some butter or ghee.

Kulchas can also be made in Tandoor.

Check out my DIY Tandoor

Here are the pictures on Kulchas made in charcoal tandoor

They would look crisp at first, but they are well done and deliciously soft from inside.

Serve with sliced onions and hot, spicy Chole or your favorite curry or just chilled yogurt.

 Plan this for your weekend brunch too!!