For the Indian Cooking Challenge this month, let's travel to Punjab to taste the Amritsari Kulacha. I remember reading an article from The Hindu, a long time back and ever since been wanting to make it myself. I have already made other versions of Kulchas, all from Punjab. We had even done Aloo Anardana Kulcha for a previous ICC.
This aloo filling is almost similar to the Aloo Anardana Kulcha, though this filling has chaat masala and supposedly this version of kulcha is a street food, where the kulchas are deep fried in kadai, just like deep fried Paratha wali gali paratha, famous from Delhi.
I have always followed this Food trail that was covered extensively in the daily and have collected almost all of them. Only I keep forgetting to remember them on time. So this time it was remembered and I thought I would pose this as the challenge. I remembered later that this might be something many would have already done, seeing that I have myself covered couple of versions, still it was a pleasant surprise on how well this turned out.
I made it the same day I announced the challenge, and enjoyed it for afternoon lunch along with Chhole and a typical North Indian archar. We had a Rajasthan Mela happening near our home and hubby dear got this archar from there. The same day I had made Aloo parathas and he enjoyed this archar with it, saying he was remembering his Delhi days. I normally serve our Avakkaya and always felt that spicy kick is required to compliment the stuffed parathas.
Of course I enjoyed my meal as well. So I remembered to serve these delicious Amritsari Kulcha along with North Indian Style Mixed vegetable Archar, Chhole and Onion Raitha. Everybody enjoyed it so much. I prepared it on the tawa, though this is normally baked or cooked in a tandoori oven. The baking powder and soda makes this bread very soft and it puffs up very well. The softest has to be felt to understand how soft it is. After frying it over tawa, remove and quickly rub with butter and you can simply devour as such!
Enjoy these Amritsari Kulcha and you won't ask for anything else!
Making of Amritsari Kulcha
Amritsari Kulcha Makes about 3 - 4 kulchas
Ingredients Needed:
All purpose flour / Maida - 2 cups Baking powder - 1 tsp Baking soda - 1/2 tsp Salt to taste Sugar 1 tsp Oil - 3 tbsp Curd/ Yoghurt - 1/4 cup Warm Milk - 1/4 cup
For the filling
Boiled and mashed potatoes - 1 cup Chopped green chilies, finely - 1 Chopped onions - 1 Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp Cumin powder - 1 tsp Chat Masala - 1/4 tsp Chopped coriander leaves - 1/4 tso
How to make Kulchas
For making the outer layer:
In a bowl, take the flour with baking soda, baking powder and sieve the flour couple of times. Then add curds, oil, curds, sugar and salt in the same order.
Add the warm milk and knead into a soft dough. Make sure to add the milk gradually and not make the dough sticky.
Cover the dough with damp cloth and keep aside for an hour.
For making the filling:
MW the potatoes for 8 mins, soak in water and peel the skin.
Take the mashed potatoes, chopped onions, green chilies, red chili powder, cumin powder, chat masala and coriander leaves in a bowl. Mix everything and make 4 medium sized balls.
Take out the dough, pinch out a medium size ball. Flatten and place the filling ball in the centre.
Enclose on all sides and make a ball. Dust with flour and roll out to a flat and thick disc.
Heat few drops in a deep frying pan, and gently drop the kulcha into the hot oil.
Cook on both sides, until the kulchas turn brown.
Notes:
The dough can be frozen as well, just thaw for 10 mins before making. Since this is made on tawa, it works out best.
The filling can be made even more spicy and served as such with just butter.
Priya Suresh says
Love this Amritsari kulchas with chole, just had my dinner and am hungry now.
nandoos Kitchen says
nice combo of kulcha with chole.. love it ..
Pavani N says
Enjoyed making these stuffed kulchas Valli. They turned out great. Thanks for choosing them for ICC.
Chef Mireille says
yours look way better than mine but since it was my first time making it dont feel too bad
Harini-Jaya R says
A great choice for this month, Valli. Enjoyed making/baking these.
nayana says
Enjoyed this challenge urs hv come very nicely