Mamta's Kitchen

Kulcha 2, Indian Leavened Yeast Bread

Kulcha 2 Indian Leavened Yeast Bread

Mamta Gupta

IndianMainSnackVegetarian

Kulchae are a type of Indian bread not dissimilar in looks and appearance to a naan. They are usually made without yeast, but can be made with it. You can make them with all sorts of fillings/additions to flour, but plain ones are the best. Makes 12-14

Also see Chat Selection.

Ingredients

  • For yeast mix:

  • 1 heaped tsp. instant dry yeast (once opened, yeast packet should not be kept for long periods. I would suggest a maximum of 3-4 months, unless you keep it in the freezer.

  • 250 ml. warm water. You can use 50% milk, but I prefer water.

  • 2 tsp. sugar

  • 1 tsp. lime/lemon juice (optional)

  • For Dough:

  • 600 gm. plain white flour or maida

  • 1/2 cup natural yoghurt or dahi

  • 1 tsp. salt to taste

  • 1/2 tsp. baking powder

  • 2 tbsp. ghee or vegetable oil

Instructions

  1. Place warm water/milk in a bowl or jug and sprinkle yeast and sugar over the water. Leave aside for 10-15 minutes, until it becomes frothy (activated). Add lemon juice and mix it in.

  2. To make dough, sift flour, salt and baking powder in a bowl.

  3. Make well in the centre. Add yoghurt/dahi and ghee/oil in the well. Mix.

  4. Add the yeast water/milk mix and knead. The dough should be slack, so feel free to add more water, if the amount given is not enough. Cover with a cling film/towel and leave aside for 2-4 hours in a warm place, until it doubles in size.

  5. Heat a griddle or tava or a frying pan.

  6. Break off a lump of dough, approximately double the size of a golf ball and make a ball.

  7. Roll it out to a circle of approximately 6-8 inches (15-20cm.) in diameter and 3-4 mm. thick, dusting it with some dry flour now and then. Don't make it too thick, because it swells up a little when cooking. Next kulcha can be rolled out while the previous one is cooking.

  8. Place it on the heated griddle/tava. When a few bubbles appear, turn it over. After a about 30 seconds-minute, turn it over again. You can press it gently with a kitchen towel, to coax it into ballooning up.

  9. When both sides are covered in brown spots and it looks cooked, take it off the griddle. You can brush it with a little ghee or oil, if you like, I don't.

  10. You can serve kulchas immediately or stack them one on top of other and then wrap them in a foil. They can be re-heated under a grill just before eating. They are commonly served with meat/chicken curries or dals or chickpea curry.

Notes

  • I make the dough in my bread maker. Place all ingredients for dough in it in the order given for your bread maker and switch on at Dough switch. It is ready in about 1 hour and 20 minutes.

  • Kulchas can be made in advance and reheated. They can be frozen too. Defrost fully, re-heat and serve.

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