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.

Stuffed Healthy Parathas

          These colorful whole wheat parathas are not only visually appealing, but are very nutritious with the goodness of spinach and beetroot. A great way to feed fussy people, especially kids, by giving a new meaning to your daily paratha intake. Make them wholesome by stuffing them with a potato filling. You can also stuff with any of your favorite veggie or paneer. 

          Enjoy them for breakfast, lunch / dinner, snacks or lunch box meal with any side dish, raita, yoghurt, butter or pickle. So go ahead and prepare these delicious and healthy stuffed flat breads by checking out a step by step pictorial recipe.

Spinach Dough - 

• 1 cup whole wheat flour (Atta)
• pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 2-3 tbsp. spinach puree
• water as required to knead

Beetroot Dough - 

• 1 cup whole wheat flour (Atta)
• pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 2-3 tbsp. beetroot puree
• water as required to knead

Stuffing - 

• 3-4 potatoes, boiled and mashed 
• 1-2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. nigella seeds (kalonji)
• 1-2 onion, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 2-3 tbsp. coriander stems, chopped
• oil to shallow fry

          Blanch 1 bunch of chopped spinach for 1-2 minutes. Cool and puree it. Keep aside. Grind 1 small, chopped beetroot to a puree and keep aside. 

          For the stuffing - Heat oil in a pan and temper with nigella seeds. Add the onion, green chilies and coriander stems. Saute till light brown.

         Add the mashed potato, salt, turmeric powder, chili powder and cumin  powder. Fry for 2-3 minutes till it is well combined. Keep aside to cool down.

          For the Spinach dough - In a bowl, mix together the flour, salt, oil and the spinach puree. Add required quantity of water to make a stiff dough. Cover with a wet cloth and keep aside for 20-25 minutes.

          For the Beetroot dough -  In a bowl, mix together the flour, salt, oil and the beetroot puree. Add required quantity of water to make a stiff dough. Cover with a wet cloth and keep aside for 20-25 minutes.

          Divide each of the prepared dough into 4-5 equal portions. Roll out each portion into a disc just like a poori by dusting some flour.

          Now take a beetroot poori or vice versa and spread a layer of the potato stuffing over it. Then place a spinach poori or vice versa over it and seal all edges. 

          Now roll again gently to a larger disc just like a chapatti. Make impressions with a fork all over the edge on both the sides. Make similar stuffed parathas with the remaining dough.

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil on a tawa / griddle and fry the parathas one at a time on a medium flame. Add more oil if needed around the edges and over it and fry both sides till light golden in colour.

          Drain on a kitchen towel and fry the rest of the parathas in the same manner. Enjoy them hot with raita, yoghurt, pickle, butter or any side dish.

                                  Beetroot dough & spinach dough....

                                  The prepared potato stuffing.

                                  Take a beetroot poori and 

                                  spread a layer of potato stuffing over it. 

                                 Place a beetroot poori or vice versa over it & seal all edges. 

                                 Roll again gently to a larger disc just like a chapatti. 

                                  Make impressions with a fork all over the edge 

                                  on both the sides. 

                    Heat 1 tbsp. oil & fry the parathas on both sides till light golden in colour.

                           Enjoy them hot with raita, yoghurt, pickle, butter or any side dish.

Stuffed Chicken Sausage Parathas

          If you are looking to make some non-veg. stuffed parathas, then you may experiment making this chicken sausage parathas. This is something new that I tried today and it turned out quite tasty and wholesome. 

          These stuffed parathas are ideal for breakfast, lunch, dinner or as a lunch box meal. In fact, you can enjoy it anytime of the day. It can be relished with some chutney, yoghurt, pickle or just plain butter. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1 & 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• pinch of salt
• water as required to knead the dough
• 5-6 chicken sausages, grated
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. garlic, chopped
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp. roasted gram flour
• 1 tbsp. fresh grated coconut
• oil to shallow fry

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan and sauté the green chilies and garlic for a few seconds. Add the grated sausages, salt, turmeric powder and garam masala powder.

          Fry on a medium flame for 2 minutes. Add the coriander leaves and gram flour. Mix everything well and keep aside to cool. Add the coconut and mix well.

          In a bowl. mix together flour and salt. Add water as required and knead into a tight dough. Cover with a wet cloth and keep aside for 30 minutes.

          Divide into 10 equal portions. Roll out each portion by dusting some flour into a small disc just like a poori. Take one poori and spread some of the stuffing. Cover with another poori and seal all edges.

          Dust some more flour and roll out into a paratha. Make similar stuffed parathas with the remaining dough.

          Heat a tawa and fry the parathas one at a time by drizzling some oil all over and around the edges. 

          Cook on both sides till they turn slightly brown in colour. Serve with some chutney, yogurt, pickles or butter.

                                   Grate the sausages.

                            Heat 1 tbsp. oil & sauté green chilies & garlic for a few seconds. 

                     Add grated sausages, salt, turmeric powder & garam masala powder.

                   Fry on a medium flame for 2 minutes. Add coriander leaves & gram flour. 

                                 Mix well & keep aside to cool. 

                                  Add coconut & mix well.

                        Roll out each portion by dusting some flour into a small disc just like a
                        poori. Take one poori & spread some of the stuffing. 

                 Cover with another poori & seal all edges. Dust some more flour & roll out
                  into a paratha. Make similar stuffed parathas with remaining dough.

                                  All parathas rolled out to be fried.

                       Heat a tawa & shallow fry parathas, one at a time, by drizzling some
                       oil all over & around the edges. 

                               Cook on both sides till they turn slightly brown in colour.

                                  All fried parathas done.

Serve with some chutney, yogurt, pickles or butter.