• Source: Kulcha

Kulcha is a Persian term for a disc-shaped loaf of leavened bread. In India, this term is commonly used for regular English bread (which is disc-shaped).




Origin and terminology


The term kulcha is Persian and describes a disc-shaped loaf of bread, bun or even biscuit. However, in India this term came to be associated with round breads popularized during the British colonial period. In some parts of India, naan or tandoori parantha is often confused with kulcha.




Preparation


Kulcha is made from maida flour, water, a pinch of salt and a leavening agent (yeast, sourdough or old kulcha dough), mixed together by hand to make a soft dough. This dough is covered with a wet cloth and left to rest for an hour or so in a warm place. The result is a slight leavening of the dough but not much. The flour is kneaded again by hand and then rolled out using a rolling pin into a flat, round shape. In commercial establishments, it is baked in an earthen clay oven ("tandoor") until done, but in most Indian homes they are cooked on an open girdle, tava or pan. After cooking, it is taken off the fire and optionally brushed with butter or ghee for a shiny, appetizing appearance. It is usually served with an Indian curry, in particular, a spicy chickpea curry known as chana masala.




= Variations

=
Among variations, instead of using water to knead the dough, milk or yogurt can be used; which results in a softer and elastic dough enhancing the gluten binding process within the dough. This type of kulcha is known as doodhia kulcha (milk kulcha). Leavening is higher when yogurt is used to prepare the dough.
This variant of kulchas is not stuffed but made plain and eaten with a curry which can be either vegetarian or meat-based.
The second variant is the kulchas stuffed with fillings that were served during the period of the Mughals and Nizams in their Darbars. For example, in the Awadh region, Awadhi Kulcha is served with Nahari, a mutton based dish.
Nowadays, these are sold in restaurants and shops. Jammu's Kaladi Kulcha which is made with traditional Dogra Cheese i.e. Kaladi Cheese is one of the most-loved street foods in Jammu. Kaladi cheese is sautéed in oil on a pan, cooked till brown in colour on both sides and stuffed between roasted kulchas.
In Amritsar, Kulcha is often confused with tandoori parantha or naans which have become popular there in recent decades.

In entire North India, a range of stuffings, including paneer (cottage cheese), potatoes, radish, onion and other vegetables are used to stuff these kulchas.
In Pakistan, kulcha breads are largely eaten in certain parts of the Hazara and Pothwhar regions, where they are a popular breakfast item.




See also


List of Indian breads
List of Pakistani breads




References






External links


Media related to Kulcha at Wikimedia Commons

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