Paneer kulcha at home 

.

What is paneer kulcha ?

Paneer kulcha is a popular North Indian dish that combines the soft and crumbly texture of paneer (Indian cottage cheese) with a soft, leavened flatbread known as kulcha. This dish is known for its delicious and savory taste, Paneer kulcha is a stuffed flatbread made with a spiced fillings of grated paneer These fillings are stuffed inside a all purpose flour dough ball. Then rolled and cooked traditionally in a tandoor. They are often topped with black sesame seeds and chopped coriander leaves.

Basically paneer kulcha are made only with maida flour but you can mix some wheat flour with the maida to make the dough. Kulcha dough is leavened with curd to enhance the taste. Sometimes baking powder and baking soda are also used asa leavening agents.

Ingredients required to make the kulcha 

• Flour : all purpose flour is generally used but you can mix wheat flour with it.
• Paneer : fresh paneer or malai paneer is best for this kulcha recipe.
• Herbs : fresh coriander leaves, green chili
• Spice powder : garam masala powder, turmeric powder, chat masala.
• Carom seeds : ajwain is used for a good digestion.
• Nigella seeds : also known as kalonji is used as a topping to make kulcha.
• Other ingredients : salt, oil and butter.

What to serve with this kulcha?

• Chole is always a preferred first choice to serve kulcha. 
• Paneer kulcha is such a versatile dish that goes well with most indian vegetable curry or gravy. You can enjoy it with Dal or mix vegetable curry.
• A bowl of curd or raita is also a good accomplishment with this yummy paneer kulcha.
• You can also place some Indian pickles or achar on the side.

Make ahead options for paneer kulcha 

It is not advisable to refrigerate paneer kulcha fillings for more than 6 hours as paneer slowly start to become sour in taste due to the spice powder like chat masala. You can refrigerated the kulcha dough for upto 2 days in a air tight container. It hardly takes five minutes to make the fillings so it is better to refrigerate the dough than the fillings.

Otherwise you can partially cook them and stack each kulcha with parchment paper seperately after cooling them completely for upto 2 days.

Leftover paneer kulcha

You can keep them in a fridge after cooling them completely but best to use them next day in morning breakfast with tea or chole. Reheat them on a hot pan with some butter till become crisp. Otherwise microwave them for a minute.

Steps to make paneer kulcha

1. Making kulcha dough

All purpose flour ( maida) is generally used to make the dough for kulcha. And leavening agent like curd and baking powder are used to enhance the taste and texture of the kulcha. You can add some whole wheat flour along with all purpose flour to make the dough. Milk can also be used with water while kneading the dough. It makes the kulcha healthy and nutritious.

Take the flour in a mixing bowl and add curd, baking powder, sugar, salt and cooking oil. Mix them nicely with a spoon or hands. Add water slowly and start to knead. You can add milk at this stage along with water. Make a soft and palpable dough without sticky to your hands. If the dough become sticky then add some more flour and knead further.

Grease some cooking oil over the dough and keep aside for fifteen minutes to set by covering. 

2. Making the fillings

Fresh malai paneer is best to make the fillings for paneer kulcha. And it is pretty easy to crumble as well. Otherwise you can use a grater to grate the paneer just make sure that there is no big chunks present. After that add half teaspoon garam masala powder, 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1/4 teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain), two green chili chopped, salt as per your taste, 1/4 teaspoon chat masala and some fresh chopped coriander leaves. Mix everything nicely. 

Ajwain is used for a good digestion purpose only. You can add cumin seeds instead of it. If you use red chilli powder then escape to use green chili.

3. Stuffing and rolling kulcha

When the kulcha dough is set divide it into equal size small parts and roll them between the palm of your hands to make round shape balls. Use some flour while rolling them between hands. You can rest the dough balls for five more minutes to become soft. After that take one dough ball and dust with flour. With a roller pin oll into 3 to 4 inch diameter.

Now place 2 to 3 tablespoon paneer fillings in the centre of the rolled dough and bring the edges together and join them at the centre and sealed.

 Dust this stuffed dough again with some flour and gently press using your finger tips.

Roll it again and place some kalonji and chopped coriander leaves on one side. Roll into 5 to 6 inch diameter size kulcha.

4. Making paneer kulcha

Paneer kulcha is traditionally made in a tandoor but it is not possible for everyone to have a tandoor at home to make the kulcha. So you can use a tawa or pan to make paneer kulcha at home.

Heat a tawa over medium high heat flame fire and when it become hot lower the gas flame to low. Place the kulcha carefully on the tawa and cook by increasing the heat flame to medium. 

Flip the kulcha when one side is partially cooked to another side and cook that side. Apply some butter or ghee on upside and flip again.

Similarly apply butter on the other side of the kulcha as well. Flip again and cook until both side become golden.

 Remove the paneer kulcha and serve hot. Make more kulcha with the remaining  dough balls and fillings. In restaurants paneer kulcha are made and cooked in a preheated tandoor. These kulcha are crisp from one side and golden from other side. 

If you want to make paneer kulcha like restaurant style then follow the below steps 

1. Heat a iron skillet or tawa over medium heat flame fire. When the tawa become hot lower the gas flame to low.
2. After stuffing the paneer fillings into a dough ball sprinkle some kalonji and chopped coriander leaves.
3. Slightly press the dough with your finger tips and start to roll with a roller pin into 5 to 6 inch diameter.
4. Lift the kulcha on the palm having toppings downwards and brush little water on the upside
5. Now gently place the kulcha on tawa and cook over medium low heat flame. And when small bubbles start to appear flip the tawa and place the kulcha over the heat flame.

1. Cook the kulcha evenly from all sides by moving the tawa over the gas flame. Dark brown spots indicates that the kulcha is cooked.
2. Now flip the tawa and place over the gas flame. Cook for another 30 to 40 seconds.
3. Remove the kulcha and apply some butter to serve hot.

Watch paneer kulcha recipe video

If you love paneer kulcha recipe then I am sure you would love the following kulcha recipe as well.

• Onion kulcha
• Amritsari kulcha
• Butter kulcha

 Frequently ask questions

1.Can I make jain paneer kulcha?

Yes ofcourse paneer kulcha can be made without onion, garlic and ginger. And it taste extremely delicious, there is no need to add them. Infact this paneer kulcha recipe is without onion, garlic and ginger.

2. Do I need to cook the paneer fillings separately ?

No, you don't need to cook the fillings separately for making paneer kulcha. The fillings will get cooked with the kulcha simultaneously. If you want to make a crisp and crunchy paneer kulcha like amritsari kulcha then you need to cook the paneer fillings separately to evaporate the moisture from paneer.

3. Can I eat paneer kulcha while on diet?

Yes you can eat paneer kulcha while on diet. 100 gm of paneer has around 270 kcal and rich in protein as well. Paneer kulcha get digested slowly by your body and that makes you feel fuller for long. It reduce appetite and helps burning belly fats as well.

Recipe notes

• In place of ajwain you can use jeera. Ajwain helps to enhance digestion so it is recommended to use in the recipe.
• You can use a mix of wheat and all purpose flour to make the dough or use only whole wheat flour to make paneer kulcha 
• Use very little water to grease the kulcha dough and keep the temperature of the tawa at medium heat.
• If you use more water then there is a chance that the kulcha dough may bounce back while placing on hot tawa.

Paneer kulcha is a popular stuffed flatbread with spiced paneer fillings inside a all purpose flour dough. Traditionally cooked in a tandoor and best to serve with chole, dal, mix vegetable, curd and pickle.

Prep time 15 min Cook time 10 min serve 6 Author Mobasir hassan

Ingredients

• 2 cup maida ( all purpose flour)
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoon curd
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar ( optional)
• 3 tablespoon cooking oil
• Salt as per taste
• Water as required