Food Recipes Bread Flatbread Potato-Stuffed Kulcha Be the first to rate & review! These irresistible flatbreads are stuffed with a filling of mashed potatoes mixed with spices, grated cheese, and cilantro, and then toasted under the broiler until golden brown. By Maneet Chauhan Maneet Chauhan Maneet Chauhan is an Indian American chef, television personality, restaurateur, and cookbook author. She has served as the executive chef of Morph Hospitality Group restaurants in Chicago, Nashville, and New York, and is a judge on the Food Network's Chopped. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on September 30, 2024 Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Recipes published by Food & Wine are rigorously tested by the culinary professionals at the Dotdash Meredith Food Studios in order to empower home cooks to enjoy being in the kitchen and preparing meals they will love. Our expert culinary team tests and retests each recipe using equipment and ingredients found in home kitchens to ensure that every recipe is delicious and works for cooks at home every single time. Meet the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Save Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Barrett Washburne Active Time: 45 mins Total Time: 1 hr Servings: 6 servings Yield: 6 kulcha Jump to recipe Maneet Chauhan makes these kulcha — flatbreads popular in her hometown of Amritsar in Punjab, India — both stuffed and plain ((See “Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen” below for more on plain kulcha). Here, spiced mashed potatoes mixed with onion, cilantro, and grated paneer serve as the filling. She broils her kulcha to mimic the charred texture and flavor you get from cooking in a tandoor, but offers an option to sear them in a heavy skillet instead if needed. Frequently Asked Questions What is kulcha? A soft and chewy disc-shaped flatbread made from wheat flour and cooked on a griddle or tandoor, its name comes from a Persian word for — you guessed it — bread. Unlike in the most common preparations for fellow flatbread naan, this kulcha recipe uses baking powder as a leavening agent instead of yeast. Can you make kulcha in an oven? While kulcha is traditionally cooked on a tawa, a regional style of frying pan, or in a tandoor, a clay oven, it’s possible to mimic their effects using a standard U.S. stove. Chauhan recommends using a broiler to replicate kulcha’s signature char. Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen To make unstuffed kulcha, roll each dough ball into 5- to 6-inch disks about 1/8 inch thick. Sprinkle nigella seeds on top and press to adhere. Heat a griddle or heavy skillet over medium-low. Working in batches, cook kulcha in a skillet until deep golden brown in spots and cooked through, one to two minutes per side. Spread lightly with butter, and garnish with chopped cilantro and sesame seeds. Serve hot. Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients Dough 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 tablespoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature 1/4 cup plain yogurt 1/2 cup water, plus more as needed 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 teaspoon nigella seeds Butter, chopped fresh cilantro, and sesame seeds, for garnish Filling 1 cup (8 ounces) grated paneer 1 (5-ounce) potato, peeled, quartered, and boiled until tender, mashed 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro 1/2 teaspoon chaat masala 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon Kashmir chile powder 1 1/2 teaspoons kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves) Directions Make the dough Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together in a medium bowl. Stir in yogurt and water. Stir in more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until mixture forms a dough. Transfer to a work surface and knead dough until smooth, about 2 minutes. Divide dough evenly into 6 pieces and shape into balls. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes. Make the filling Combine paneer, potato, onion, cilantro, chaat masala, cumin, and Kashmiri chile powder in a medium bowl. Working with 1 dough ball at a time, roll dough into 4 to 5-inch disks. Hold dough round in 1 hand and spoon 1/4 cup filling in center. Gather edges of dough over filling, pinching tightly to seal. Place on a work surface and press gently into a disk, then use a rolling pin to roll into a 5- to 6-inch disk. Transfer to a baking sheet in a single layer. Repeat with remaining dough balls and filling. Heat broiler to High. Sprinkle nigella seeds on top of kulchas and press to adhere. Place kulchas on a baking sheet and broil until golden brown and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side, rotating baking sheet occasionally and keeping a close eye to prevent burning. Spread a touch of butter on top of each kulcha, and garnish with cilantro and sesame seeds; serve hot. Rate It Print