The Amritsari kulcha is the pride of Amritsar’s food streets — a crisp, blistered maida flatbread stuffed with spiced mashed potato, slapped onto the wall of a charcoal tandoor and pulled out crackling, then crushed in the hands and flooded with butter. It is leavened the old way, with curd and a little baking powder rather than yeast, and the filling is kept dry and sharp with green chilli, roasted cumin and a pinch of anardana (dried pomegranate). What marks the Amritsari version is the texture: a top crust that shatters — the chur-chur — over a soft, flaky inside. It is eaten with Amritsari chole, sliced onion and imli chutney, most famously down Lawrence Road. This version follows the cook behind Hassanchef, whose kulcha keeps the dry potato filling and the tawa-over-flame trick for kitchens without a tandoor.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups plain (maida flour, plus extra for dusting)
- 3 tbsp plain yogurt
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp sugar
- ½ tsp salt (for the dough)
- 1 tbsp ghee or oil (for the dough, plus more for cooking)
- warm water (to knead)
- 3 large floury potatoes (about 450g, boiled, cooled and mashed dry)
- 1 small onion (finely chopped)
- 1 green chilli (finely chopped)
- 1 tsp anardana (dried pomegranate powder)
- ½ tsp roasted cumin powder
- ½ tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
- ½ tsp chaat masala
- ½ tsp salt (for the filling)
- 2 tbsp chopped coriander
- butter (to brush)
METHOD
- Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt, work in the yogurt and ghee, then knead with warm water to a soft, slightly sticky dough; cover and rest 1–2 hours.
- Mix the dry mashed potato with the onion, green chilli, anardana, roasted cumin, Kashmiri chilli, chaat masala, salt and coriander, keeping the filling dry.
- Divide the dough into balls, flatten each, spoon in the filling, seal over and rest a few minutes.
- Roll each stuffed ball into a disc about 5mm thick, pressing in a little chopped coriander, and brush one side with water.
- Heat a heavy cast-iron tawa; lay the kulcha wet-side down so it sticks, and cook until bubbles rise.
- Flip the tawa over the flame so the top blisters and chars, moving it for an even colour.
- Lift off, brush generously with butter and, if you like, crush lightly between your hands.
- Serve hot with Amritsari chole, sliced onion and imli chutney.
