These flatbreads are famous in North India for their crispy layers of dough and delicious variety of fillings. I stuff my Kulcha with soft paneer, onions, ginger, chillies and a blend of toasted spices. I grill each Kulcha over an open flame and finish each one with a pool of melting butter.
What is a Kulcha?
If you’ve never experienced Kulcha, imagine if a soft, chewy Naan had a love child with melt-in-the-mouth Laccha Paratha. Hello beautiful baby Kulcha.
How to make Paneer Kulcha
Stick around and I will help demystify the layering process and teach you how to make Kulcha masala from scratch. But wait, that’s not all. You can also read my tips for how to achieve GOD-TIER flakiness and a charred finish, all without a tandoor.
What’s the difference between Kulcha, Naan and Paratha?
The world of Indian breads is complex, yet beautifully simple at the same time. For example, there’s grilled bread, roasted bread, shallow fried bread, deep fried bread, steamed bread, baked bread, bread cooked in a tandoor and so much more. Some Indian breads use leavening agents like baking powder, baking soda and sometimes yeast — the latter brought to India via the British Empire. Indeed, you may wonder what the difference between a soft and chewy Naan or a flaky Laccha Paratha is, and how they become one in the form of Kulcha. After all, there seems to be a lot of crossover.
Here’s a simple breakdown of differences between these three North Indian breads
Naan: Soft and chewy. Made using either plain flour (maida) or wholewheat atta. Leavened. Not usually stuffed. Paratha: Soft and flaky. Made using either plain flour (maida) or wholewheat atta. Unleavened. Stuff them or keep them plain. Kulcha: Soft, flaky and chewy. Made using either plain flour (maida) or wholewheat atta. Leavened. Often stuffed.
Paneer Kulcha: Commonly-asked questions
More Kulcha filling ideas
Potatoes Onions Cauliflower Peas Cooked, mashed daal (dry)
How to serve Paneer Kulcha
These Kulchas are super wholesome. Indeed, you can eat them as they are for a main dish. You can pair them with your favourite Indian pickle, plain yoghurt or raita. For a heartier meal, you can serve Kulcha with Chole (channa masala) — a spicy chickpea curry.
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If you like this, you’ll love my recipe for Aloo Paratha
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