Amritsari Kulcha

A flaky flatbread with a golden, crispy crust, stuffed with spiced mashed potatoes. The aroma of warm ghee and toasted cumin fills the air as it comes out of the oven.

• Prep time: 40 min
• Cook time: 20 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 700
• Protein: 15 g
• Carbs: 118 g
• Fat: 17 g

Ingredients

• 500 g Wheat flour ( sifted )
• 15 g Fresh baker's yeast ( crumbled )
• 250 ml Mineral water ( lukewarm )
• 60 g ghee ( room temperature )
• 400 g Potato ( cooked and mashed )
• 1 piece Onion ( very finely minced )
• 1 piece Hot chili pepper optional ( chopped )
• 1 piece Fresh cilantro ( chopped )
• 1 tsp Whole cumin seeds
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp Ginger powder
• 1 tsp White sugar
• 1 tsp Gray sea salt
• 1 tsp Dried mango powder (Amchur) ( fine powder )
• 1 tsp Ajwain seeds ( whole seeds )

Instructions

1. Dough preparation

   Mix the wheat flour, sea salt, white sugar, ajwain seeds, and crumbled fresh yeast. Pour in the warm mineral water and knead until the dough is supple and no longer sticks to your fingers. Incorporate a tablespoon of ghee at the end of kneading.

2. Dough resting

   Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it double in size in a warm place. It should be elastic and airy.

3. Stuffing preparation

   Mash the cooked potatoes. Add the chopped onion, chopped chili, fresh coriander, garam masala, ginger powder, amchur, and cumin seeds. The stuffing should be homogeneous and well seasoned.

4. Shaping and folding

   Divide the dough into balls. Roll out each ball, brush with ghee, and fold into several layers to create the lamination. Place a ball of stuffing in the center, close it, and flatten gently with a rolling pin so as not to pierce the dough.

5. Baking

   Bake at high temperature on a hot tray. The kulcha is ready when the crust is golden brown with characteristic brown spots. Brush with melted ghee as soon as it comes out.

Chef's tips

• Do not overwork the dough after adding ghee for folding; this is what creates the crispy layers.
• If you don't have a tandoor, use a very hot pizza stone or the back of a cast-iron baking sheet.

Storage

Store wrapped in a clean cloth to keep it supple. Reheat in a pan with a knob of butter.