There is no end to the number of Indian bread recipes, be it the everyday roti or chapathi or paratha to the exotics like Naan, Kulcha, Rumali Roti and such like. After stuffed Parathas, I love homemade Kulcha and having made it many a times, I thought of trying out stuffed variations of Kulcha. That’s how I made this delicious Paneer stuffed Kulcha.
Kulcha for the uninitiated is the leavened Indian bread that is quite fluffy and light. Made with yeast and curd, it turns of soft and pillowy. However making Kulcha at home is not so easy, without special equipment. And that’s why this shortcut version of Paneer Kulcha works great.
I technically used my no yeast Kulcha recipe for this paneer stuffed version too. But the fact that there is some spiced cottage cheese/Paneer stuffing in the Kulcha made it extra soft and oh-so delicious. I served it up with a special Low Calorie Paneer Kofta Curry (recipe coming up next) and it was simply out of the world.
How to make Paneer Kulcha
📖 Recipe
Paneer Kulcha Recipe with Step by Step Pictures
Prep Work
- In a bowl, add all ingredients for Paneer stuffing and mix well. Set it aside.
- In a mixing bowl, add flour along with salt, sugar, cooking soda and baking powder. Mix well. Make a well in the center and add the curd and milk. Mix well. The flour would be crumbly. Add few tablespoon of milk if required and knead it into a soft pliable dough. Add a teaspoon of oil on top and let it rest for at least an hour.
Procedure
Make 5 equal sized balls of the rested dough. Take a ball of dough and roll it into a thin circle. If the dough is sticky, apply some oil to make it easy to roll. Add 1.5 tablespoon of paneer stuffing at the center and close it by bringing all edges together. Sprinkle some sesame/onion seeds (if adding) and slightly press them. Add few drops of oil on top and gently roll the dough into a circle.
Meanwhile, heat a flat tawa on medium heat and put the kulcha on it (the plain side on the tawa). In few seconds, there would be bubbles coming up. Gently flip it to cook on the other side on medium flame. Apply oil/butter. Flip again and apply oil/butter on the other side. As the kulcha gains a lot of golden brown spots, remove it onto a plate. Repeat the same with rest of the dough.
Serve hot with any North Indian Side Dishes.
Recipe Notes
Finely chopped coriander can be added to the paneer stuffing. If desired, finely chopped onions can be added too. I didn’t use any water and the milk quantity was just enough the flour quantity. Adjust as per preference. While rolling the Kulcha, make sure it’s as thin as possible as the dough quickly contracts and can become thick while cooking. Also, roll each kulcha only when ready to cook. I used oil to cook the kulcha, applying butter enhances the taste. If required, Kulcha can be put on open flame for 5 secs on each side. It is better to serve Kulcha hot although it was not rubbery on cooling down.
I would be delighted to know if you have tried this recipe, don’t forget to share your feedback and comments below. If you have any questions, you can e-mail me! I am also available on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter 🙂