Kulcha - A Delightful Yeasted Indian Flat Bread

Kulcha is a delightful Indian flat bread, normally fermented with yeast and baked in oven. Baked version is better off than the fried one as it is devoid of oil. Kulchas are very common street food of North India, and is generally served with spicy channa curry in bowls made of dried leaves.
I made the fried version ad served it with Cottage cheese curry - Paneer Jalfrezi.
The Kulchas taste quite different from the Pooris because of the yogurt and yeast in it.




Ingredients;

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tbsp. yogurt/curd
• 1 tsp. ghee
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 2 tsp. dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• Oil for deep frying

Method; Sprinkle sugar and yeast over the warm water and leave it to rise for about 10 minutes. Sift flour and salt in a large vessel and make a well in the center. Pour the yeast and sugar mix, ghee and yogurt in it. Mix it well to incorporate all the ingredients together.
Cover the vessel with a damp cloth and leave it aside to rise for 2-3 hours.
Knead it again and divide the dough into 10-12 small balls. Apply a little oil over each and leave it for 10 minutes till the oil is hot.

Heat oil in a wok. Take one oiled ball and flatten it using a rolling pin with a little dry flour on the board. Make a round disc of about 1/4 " thickness.Take the round disc in hand and slightly elongate the round before putting it into the hot oil. Let it fry for a minute and turn to other side. These Kulchas will be almost white in color as against the Pooris which become golden brown when fried.
Serve these Kulchas hot with any spicy Indian dal or curry.

Notes;

1. Bake the Kulchas after rolling them into round disc at 160°C for 10 minutes.
2. Sprinkle poppy seeds or sesame seeds over the rolled Kulchas before frying them.
3. Fill the Kulchas with mashed potatoes or cottage cheese for a delicious stuffed version.

Serve these Kulchas with this exotic cottage cheese curry.

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