Hello Chefs!!
Amritsar is a place that is famous all over the world for beautiful ‘Golden Temple’ and ‘Kulcha’. Amritsari Kulcha is a flatbread made up of Maida. It is traditionally filled with the stuffing of potatoes and now a days with paneer, onion and other vegetables. The presence of Kulcha can be traced back to the Mughal kitchens. It is said that Shah Jahan was once served with this stuffed Kulcha by his Khansama (royal Chef). The king loved it so much that it became one of the staples for breakfast and lunch. Since then, it became very famous among the Mughals and Nizams and hence travelled to Northern parts of India.
An authentic Amritsari Kulcha has a stuffing, it is soft from inside and crispy outside.
It gets its richness and crispiness from the amount of butter or Ghee in it. Mind it - it is considered a sin to evaluate the amount of butter or ghee in a Punjabi food. Amritsari Kulcha is usually served with spicy Chole and Tamarind Chutney or gravy of your choice.
Let us learn…..
Ingredients:
Amritsari Kulcha:
· APF/Maida – 500 gm
· Salt – 1 tsp
· Baking Soda – ½ tsp
· Sugar – 1 tbsp
· Oil/Butter – 3 tbsp
· Curd/Dahi – ½ cup
· Butter – 5 gm
· Green Coriander – as per the requirement
· Black Sesame/Til – 1-2 tbsp
· Water – for kneading the dough
For Stuffing:
· Potato (boiled) – 6-7 (Medium)
· Salt – according to taste
· Red Chili Powder – 1-2 tsp
· Onion – 1-2 (chopped)
· Green Chili – 1-2 (chopped)
· Dry Fenugreek/Kasuri Methi – 2 tsp
· Green Coriander – 1 tbsp (chopped)
· Dry Mango Powder/Amchur – 1-2 tsp
For Chole Gravy:
· Chickpeas/Chole – 1 cup (boiled)
· Oil – 4-5 tbsp
· Pepper corn – 7-8
· Bay Leaf – 1
· Cumin Seeds/Jeera – 1 tsp
· Asafoetida/Heeng – ¼ tsp
· Ginger – 1 inch (crushed)
· Garlic – 5-6 (crushed)
· Green chili – 1-2 (crushed)
· Onion (medium) – 2-3 (chopped)
· Tomato (medium) – 2-3 (pureed)
· Tamarind pulp – 3-4 tbsp
· Red chili powder – 1-2 tsp
· Coriander powder – 1 tbsp
· Chana/chole masala – 3-4 tbsp
· Sugar – 1-2 tsp (optional)
· Dry fenugreek/Kasuri Methi – 1 tbsp
· Garam masala – 1 tsp
How To Make Amritsari Kulcha:
1. In a large bowl/parat add APF/Maida.
2. Add salt, baking soda, sugar, oil and curd to it and mix well.
3. Taking small amount of water at a time knead a soft dough.
4. Apply some oil to the dough and inside the bowl.
5. Keep the dough in the bowl and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
6. For the filling: take the boiled potatoes in a bowl.
7. Mash them well and add salt, red chili powder, chopped onions, green chili, dry mango powder/amchur, Kasuri Methi and chopped coriander to it.
8. Mix it well and keep it aside.
9. After 30 minutes check the dough and transfer it to the platform.
10. Punch and tuck the dough, flatten it with rolling pin and apply butter on it.
11. Fold and roll the dough well to get soft and smooth dough.
12. To make Kulcha: Take a tennis ball size dough.
13. Flatten It a little, fill the center with generously with potato stuffing.
14. Pinch the sides together to make a round, flatten it a little into your palm.
15. Using flour flatten it with rolling pin into a round flat bread.
16. Apply little water on it and place chopped coriander and black Til on it.
17. Switch on the gas and place the gridle/tawa upside down and let it heat.
18. When the tawa is hot enough, apply little water on other side of Kulcha and place it on hot tawa.
19. Lift the tawa and bake the Kulcha upside down directly on flame.
20. Remove it from the flame once it is baked golden brown.
21. Apply butter and serve hot.
How To Make Chole Gravy:
1. Wash and soak chickpeas overnight in water.
2. Put the soaked chickpeas in pressure cooker, add water to the level of chickpeas with salt and turmeric.
3. Let them cook till one whistle and then for 20 minutes on sim gas.
4. Let the pressure cool down.
5. Heat oil in a wok/kadai.
6. Crush ginger, garlic and green chili together in mortar and pestle.
7. Once the oil is hot, add pepper corn, bay leaf, jeera and Heeng to the oil.
8. Add crushed ginger garlic paste to it and sauté for few seconds.
9. Add chopped onions and sauté them till they are golden brown.
10. Add tomato pulp and tamarind/imli pulp.
11. Now add red chili powder, coriander powder, chole/Chana masala and Kasuri Methi.
12. Sauté them on low flame till the masala releases oil.
13. Add sugar (optional).
14. Strain the water of chickpeas in a separate bowl.
15. Add boiled chickpeas to the masala and sauté for 7-8 minutes.
16. Add chickpeas water for gravy according to your liking.
17. Add garam masala, simmer and let them cook for another 8-10 minutes.
18. Serve hot with Amritsari Kulcha, Naan, Roti, Paratha or Rice.
Enjoy!!
Some Pro Tips:
1. While kneading the dough add water gradually.
2. Rest the dough well for at least 30 minutes.
3. Punch and tuck the dough well to get a smooth and silky dough.
4. Before placing the Kulcha on hot tawa apply water well to get the right texture.
5. Adding sugar to the chole gravy is optional, however it doesn’t make them sweet but only balances it sourness and masala.
6. Do not throw away water of chickpeas as it contains all the flavor.
7. Gravy can be thick or thin as per your liking.
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