Chole & Paneer Kulche (Stuffed Flat Bread with White Chickpea Curry)

 

          Enjoy these delicious homemade Paneer Kulchas along with chole, a simple chickpea curry for a sumptuous one-pot meal. It is a very popular menu in every North Indian restaurants universally. An ideal combination, you can enjoy it for breakfast, brunch or lunch.  

          I gave a slight twist to the stuffing, as I have incorporated some grated raw mango to the paneer mix to give a slight tang. I also kneaded the dough by adding soda water instead of the mandatory baking soda and baking powder.

         Serve this traditional delicacy with raita, onion rings, fresh green chilies and a dash of lime. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare these two delectable comfort food that is just perfect for a lazy weekend meal. 

          

          Kulcha can be of many varieties, either plain or stuffed. This North Indian styled flat bread is basically made of plain flour and stuffed with potato / cottage cheese or chicken / mutton mince for the non-veg. version. However, do not forget to brush them generously with some butter, ghee or olive oil for a healthier version.

          Similarly, there are many variations of preparing chole too. At times, tea bags are used to get a rich dark colored gravy in a traditional Punjabi style chole, known as Pindi chole. It is very yummy with full of flavours and a blend of various spices. So, to sum up, a chole recipe differs from one North Indian State to the other. 

           Besides Kulcha, you can also enjoy Chole, an ultimate comfort food, with naan, tandoori roti, poori, paratha, bhatura, chapatti, plain rice or jeera rice.

Chole - 

• 1 cup kabuli chana (white chickpeas), soaked overnight
• pinch of baking soda
• 2-3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2 cardamom
• 4 cloves
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tbsp. coriander powder
• 1 tsp. cumin powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tsp. ghee
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

Kulcha Dough--

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup plain four
• salt to taste
• 3 tbsp. yoghurt
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. kasoori methi, crushed
• 1/2 tsp. pepper powder
• soda water as required
• chopped coriander leaves, kalonji (Nigella seeds), chopped garlic & red chili flakes as required
• oil / butter / ghee as required

Stuffing-

• 200 gms. paneer, mashed
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 small mango, grated
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1/2 tsp. red chili flakes
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 1-2 green chilies, chopped
• 2-3 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Chole - 

          Boil the soaked chickpeas in 3 cups water and a pinch of baking soda for 4-5 whistles. Keep aside. 

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, bay leaves and cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Add the onion and stir fry till light brown. Add the ginger-garlic paste and all the dry spices (except garam masala powder) mixed with some water. Sauté till the oil separates.

          Add the chopped tomatoes and cook further till it is nicely mashed. Now time to add the boiled chole. 

         Cover with a lid and simmer on a low flame for 8-10 minutes or till you get the desired consistency.

          When done, add the garam masala and ghee. Give it a stir and switch off the flame. Garnish with coriander leaves and keep aside.

          Paneer Stuffing - 

          Mix the paneer with rest of the mentioned ingredients. Form 6 equal sized balls out of it and keep aside. 

          Kulcha - 

          In a bowl, mix together both the flours, salt, kasuri methi and pepper powder. Now add the yoghurt and oil. Combine everything well and knead into a dough with required quantity of soda water. 

          Apply some oil and cover it with a cling film. Keep aside for 2-3 hours. Knead the dough once again and divide into 6 equal portions. 

          Roll out each portion into a small circle by dusting some flour / oil. Stuff a portion of the paneer stuffing and bring all edges together to secure firmly. 

          Sprinkle some kalonji, coriander leaves, garlic and red chili flakes over it. Gently roll again into an oblong shape.

          Heat a tawa / griddle and roast the kulchas, one at a time, on a medium flame for a minute or so. When one side is done, flip it over and cook the other side too. Brush some oil / butter / ghee over it.

          Make similar kulchas with the remaining dough and the paneer stuffing. Serve with the prepared chole, raita, onion rings, green chilies and lemon.

                      Heat oil & temper with cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, bay leaves and

                      cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds. 

                                  Add the onion and stir fry till light brown. 

                          Add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté till the raw smell disappears. 

                                  Add chopped tomatoes & cook till it is nicely mashed. 

                                  Now time to add the boiled chole. Simmer on a low flame for 

                                  8-10 minutes or till you get the desired consistency.

                                  When done, add the garam masala and ghee. 

                            Mix together both the flours, salt, kasuri methi & pepper powder. 

                                 Add the yoghurt & oil. Mix everything well.

                       Knead into a dough with required quantity of soda water. Apply some 

                       oil & cover it with a cling film. Keep aside for 2-3 hours. Knead the 

                       dough once again and divide into 6 equal portions. 

                     Mix paneer with rest of the ingredients. Form 6 equal sized balls out 

                     of it and keep aside. 

                   Roll out each portion into a small circle by dusting some flour / oil. Stuff a 

                   portion of the paneer stuffing.

                                  Bring all edges together to secure firmly. 

                     Sprinkle some kalonji, coriander leaves, garlic & red chili flakes over it. 

                     Gently roll again into an oblong shape. 

                    Heat a tawa & roast the kulchas, one at a time, on a medium flame for a 

                    minute or so. When one side is done, flip it over & cook the other side too. 

                    Brush some oil / butter / ghee over it.

                   Serve with the prepared chole, raita, onion rings, green chilies and lemon.

Spinach & Beetroot Pin Wheel Parathas

          Bored with the same old paratha for breakfast? Want to make something new and interesting? Then try these attractive & colourful parathas with the goodness of spinach and beetroot. Healthy and nutritious, they will be liked by young and old alike. 

          Serve them hot with any side dish. Relish them for lunch / dinner too with your favourite curry. So go ahead and make this tempting and appetizing parathas for a weekend breakfast by checking out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare them.

• 3 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tbsp. oil to knead
• pinch of baking soda (opt)
• 1/2 tsp. sugar 
• 1 small beetroot, boiled & pureed
• 1 cup tightly packed spinach, blanched & pureed
• salt to taste
• oil to shallow fry
• side dish to serve

          Mix 1 tbsp. oil, sugar and baking soda to the flour. Now divide into three equal portions. To one portion, add the spinach puree and knead into a dough. Add water if required. Keep aside.

          To the second portion, add the beetroot puree and knead into a dough with required quantity of water. Keep aside.

          Knead the remaining flour with enough water and keep aside for 10-15 minutes. Roll all the three dough separately into a big circle, just like chapatti by dusting some flour.

          Stack them one over the other and roll them tightly from one end to the other. Cut into 1/2" thick rounds. Roll out each round into a round paratha.

          Heat a tawa and fry them on both sides till light golden in colour by drizzling some oil over it and around the edges. Serve them hot with any side dish.

                                Stack them one over the other.

                                Roll them tightly from one end to the other. 

                                Cut into 1/2" thick rounds. 

                                Roll out each round into a paratha.

                     Heat a tawa & fry them on both sides till light golden in colour by drizzling 
                     some oil over it & around the edges. 

                               Serve them hot with any side dish.

Stuffed Coconut Paratha

           Stuffed Parathas are a favourite breakfast at my place. So I was just wondering what stuffing I should add and then I decided on some coconut stuffing as this variety is missing in my blog. So here you go. Do try this delicious recipe and have a lazy weekend breakfast with any side dish, yoghurt, pickles, butter or green chutney. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.     

• 1 & 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp. oil
• water to knead

Stuffing-

• 1 cup fresh grated coconut
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup fried onion
• 1 tsp. red chili flakes
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves
• yoghurt, side dish, pickles, raita, green chutney or butter to serve

          In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients under stuffing and keep aside.  In a bowl, mix together whole wheat flour, salt and oil. Add required quantity of water and knead into a dough. Cover and keep aside for 30 minutes.

          Divide the dough into 10 equal portions. Roll out each into a small disc just like poori by dusting some flour.

          Take one rolled out poori and spread 2-3 tbsp. of the stuffing. Cover with another poori and press all edges. 

          Roll out further into a larger disc just like chapatis by dusting some more flour. Make similar stuffed parathas.

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil and shallow fry them on both sides, one at a time till light golden in colour. Serve them hot with any side dish, yoghurt, butter, green chutney or pickle. 

                                Mix all ingredients under stuffing & keep aside. 

                   Mix flour, salt & oil. Add water & knead into a dough. Cover & keep aside
                   for 30 minutes.

                                Divide dough into 10 equal portions. 

                         Roll out each into a small disc just like poori by dusting some flour.

                              Take one rolled out poori & spread 2-3 tbsp. of the stuffing. 

                                Cover with another poori & press all edges. 

                       Roll out further into a larger disc just like chapattis by dusting some 
                       more flour. Make similar stuffed parathas.

                   Heat 1 tbsp. oil & shallow fry them on both sides, till light golden in colour. 

                        Serve them hot with any side dish, yoghurt, butter, green chutney 
                        or pickle. 

Stuffed Keema Kulcha (Soft Leavened Stuffed Flat Bread)

          Now you can relish these yummy homemade Kulchas minus the grease for a sumptuous breakfast. Here is my version of guilt free Kulchas made with whole wheat flour and stuffed with chicken mince. I brushed them with some olive oil for a healthier version. However, you can always go in for some ghee or melted butter. Enjoy them with yoghurt, raita, pickle, butter or green chutney. So check out the step by step method with pictures to prepare it.

Kulcha Dough--

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• salt to taste
• 1/2 cup yoghurt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. red chili flakes
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. ajwain (carom seeds)
• 1/2 tsp. sugar

Stuffing-

• 300 gms. chicken mince
• 1/2 cup coriander stem, chopped
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp. tomato paste
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp coriander-cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1/2 tsp. kalonji (nigella seeds)
• 1/2 cup coriander leaves, chopped
• olive oil / melted butter / ghee as required

          In a bowl, mix together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and chili flakes. Make a hollow in the centre and add the yoghurt, milk and oil. 

          Combine everything well and knead into a dough with required quantity of water. Cover and keep aside for 2-3 hours.

          In a small bowl, mix together ginger-garlic paste, tomato paste and all the dry spices with 1/4 cup water into a paste. Keep aside.

          Heat oil in a pan and sauté the onion till light brown. Now add the spice paste and fry till the oil separates.

          Add the mince and the chopped coriander stems. Mix well and cook, covered till dry. Keep breaking the lumps with the spatula during the process of cooking. When done, set aside to cool. Add little of the coriander leaves and mix well.

          Knead the dough once again and divide into equal portions. Roll out each portion into a small circle by dusting some flour. Stuff little of the keema and bring all edges together to secure firmly. 

          Sprinkle some kalonji and coriander leaves over it. Gently roll again into slightly bigger circle by dusting some flour. 

          Heat a tawa / griddle and roast the rolled put kulcha on a medium flame for a minute or so. When one side is done, flip it over and cook the other side too. Transfer to a serving plate and brush some oil / butter / ghee over it.

          Make similar kulchas with the remaining dough and the mince stuffing. Serve with yoghurt, raita, chutney, butter or pickle.

                                  Heat oil & sauté onion till light brown. 

                    Mix ginger-garlic paste, tomato paste & all dry spices with 1/4 cup water
                    into a paste. Keep aside.

                                 Add spice paste & fry till oil separates.

                                 Add mince & chopped coriander stems. 

                                  Mix well.

                      Cover & cook till dry. Keep breaking the lumps with spatula during the 
                      process of cooking. 

                                  When done, set aside to cool. 

                          In a bowl, mix flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda & chili flakes. 

                                  Make a hollow in the centre & add yoghurt, milk & oil. 

                       Mix well & knead into a dough with some water. Cover & keep aside
                       for 2-3 hours.

Knead dough once again & divide into equal portions. 

Add some coriander leaves to the keema & mix well. Keep aside.

Roll out each portion into a small circle by dusting some flour. 

Stuff some keema & bring all edges together to secure firmly. 

                           Sprinkle some kalonji & coriander leaves over it. Gently roll 
                           again into slightly bigger circle by dusting some flour. 

                                 Heat a tawa & roast kulchas on a medium flame for 1-2 min.

                                  When one side is done, flip it over & cook other side too.

                                  Brush some oil / butter / ghee over it.

                                  Serve with yoghurt, raita, chutney, butter or pickle.