Amritsari Kulcha

Name: Amritsari Kulcha
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Punjabi
Ingredients: 300 g all-purpose flour (maida) (sifted); 50 g butter / ghee (softened, for lamination); 0.5 tsp baking powder (leavening); 0.5 tsp salt (fine); 160 ml water (for kneading); 300 g boiled potatoes (grated finely); 1 medium red onion (very finely minced); 2 whole green chillies (finely chopped); 1 tsp anardana (pomegranate seed powder) (key tang); 1 tbsp coriander seeds (coarsely crushed); 0.5 tsp ajwain (carom seeds); 3 tbsp fresh coriander (chopped); 1 tsp salt (to taste)

4.9 (890 ratings)

• Cuisine: Punjabi

Crisp, flaky, layered flatbread stuffed with a spiced mashed potato and onion filling, baked to charred perfection and crushed by hand with a dollop of butter.

⏱️ Prep Time 30 min

🍳 Cook Time 20 min

⌛ Total Time 50 min

🍽️ Base Servings 4

👨‍🍳 Difficulty Medium

🌶️ Spice Level Medium

🥕

Ingredients

Servings:

For the Laminated Dough

300 g all-purpose flour (maida)— sifted
50 g butter / ghee— softened, for lamination
1/2 tsp baking powder— leavening
1/2 tsp salt— fine
160 ml water— for kneading

For the Spiced Aloo-Pyaz Stuffing

300 g boiled potatoes— grated finely
1 medium red onion— very finely minced
2 whole green chillies— finely chopped
1 tsp anardana (pomegranate seed powder)— key tang
1 tbsp coriander seeds— coarsely crushed
1/2 tsp ajwain— carom seeds
3 tbsp fresh coriander— chopped
1 tsp salt— to taste

For the Laminated Dough

• 300 g all-purpose flour (maida) — sifted
• 50 g butter / ghee — softened, for lamination
• 0.5 tsp baking powder — leavening
• 0.5 tsp salt — fine
• 160 ml water — for kneading

For the Spiced Aloo-Pyaz Stuffing

• 300 g boiled potatoes — grated finely
• 1 medium red onion — very finely minced
• 2 whole green chillies — finely chopped
• 1 tsp anardana (pomegranate seed powder) — key tang
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds — coarsely crushed
• 0.5 tsp ajwain — carom seeds
• 3 tbsp fresh coriander — chopped
• 1 tsp salt — to taste

🔥

Cooking Instructions

01

Laminate Dough Layers
⏱️ 15m

Knead flour, baking powder, salt, and water into a smooth dough. Roll into a large rectangle. Smear softened butter across surface, fold like a letter into thirds, roll and fold again. Rest chilled for 30 minutes to set butter layers.

✓ Visual Cue: Laminated layers create the incredible puff-pastry-like flakiness
02

Prepare Spiced Filling
⏱️ 5m

Mix grated potatoes, minced onion, green chillies, anardana, crushed coriander seeds, ajwain, fresh coriander, and salt in a bowl.

✓ Visual Cue: Uniform, tangy, aromatic potato mixture
03

Stuff & Shape
⏱️ 8m

Cut dough into 4 parts. Flatten each into a cup, fill with 3 tablespoons potato mixture, pinch closed into a dumpling. Gently flatten with hands into an 8-inch disk. Top with coriander seeds and press gently.

✓ Visual Cue: Flat disk with spiced potato securely enclosed inside flaky layers
04

Tandoor Bake on Iron Tawa
⏱️ 4m

Apply water to one side and place onto a smoking hot iron tawa. Let cook 1 minute until bubbles form. Invert tawa over open flame to roast the top until blistered with charred spots.

✓ Visual Cue: Charred blisters with crispy crackling sound
05

The Signature Amritsari Crush
⏱️ 1m

Remove kulcha from tawa. While piping hot, crush gently between both palms to shatter the crispy layers, top with a generous knob of butter, and serve.

✓ Visual Cue: Audible flaky crunch as steam escapes and butter melts

💡

Chef's Authentic Tips

Crushing the hot kulcha with your hands shatters the crispy laminated layers, releasing the fragrant steam.
Coarsely crushed whole coriander seeds and anardana are essential for true Amritsari flavor.

🔄

Smart Substitutions

Can add crumbled paneer to the potato filling for an Amritsari Paneer Kulcha.

🍽️

Serving Suggestions & Pairings

✓ Serve with pindi chole, tangy imli-pyaz chutney, and fresh churned white butter.

📊

Estimated Nutrition

Per Serving

Calories 360

Protein 8g

Carbs 52g

Fat 14g

Similar Recipes You'll Love

Other authentic dishes from Punjabi and Bread.

Rajma Masala

Hearty red kidney beans simmered in a robust, spiced onion-tomato gravy with ginger, garlic, and whole spices. The ultimate Punjabi Sunday comfort meal.

Amritsari Chole

Dark, tangy, and robust chickpeas simmered with whole spices, tea bag infusion for authentic dark color, dried pomegranate seeds (anardana), and ginger.

Medium View Recipe →