Aloo Kulcha

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Aloo Kulcha is a leavened Indian flatbread with a soft and crispy texture, stuffed with spiced mashed potatoes. Aloo Kulcha recipe is from the Punjabi cuisine and very popular in Delhi as well as some parts of North India. Traditionally, Aloo Kulcha is cooked in a tandoor or clay oven. But you can easily cook it on a skillet (tawa). While cooking, it is often brushed with ghee or butter and finally savored with robust Indian curries. Chole or spicy chickpea curry with Kulcha is the quintessential combination in the Indian food scene.

aloo kulcha in a plate

What is Aloo Kulcha

In Hindi, the term Aloo stands for potatoes and Kulcha is an leavened flatbread made from all-purpose flour. Simply put together the words Aloo Kulcha mean a leavened soft flatbread stuffed with a savory and spiced mashed potato filling.

Since the day I tried the fab aloo kulcha served at a nearby Punjabi dhaba (roadside eatery), I’ve been a fan of it. One bite and I got so inspired that I wanted to try the Aloo Kulcha recipe at home.

This recipe is thus a result of that. The base kulcha and potato stuffing recipes in this have been adapted from my family recipe of Aloo Paratha.

Do note that both Aloo Kulcha and Aloo Paratha are different recipes. Aloo Kulcha is made with leavened all-purpose flour dough and Aloo Paratha is made with unleavened whole wheat flour dough. So the taste and texture is different and not the same.

There are many variations to the original plain Kulcha recipe as well. Here, you can find some variations like:

  1. Paneer Kulcha
  2. Matar Kulcha

Generally, the restaurant and dhabas have an Aloo Kulcha recipe which has refined or all-purpose flour (maida). But I have added both whole wheat flour (atta) and all-purpose flour in equal quantities.

If you plan to use only whole wheat flour, then you’ll end up having a texture and taste similar to that of an aloo paratha. The spice in the potato stuffing can be adjusted according to your taste. You can add some green chilies for a spicier version of this Aloo Kulcha recipe.

Step-by-Step Guide

How to make Aloo Kulcha

Make Dough

1. In a mixing bowl take the following listed ingredients:

  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • ¾ to 1 teaspoon salt or as required
flour mixture in a bowl for kulcha dough

2. Add 2 tablespoons fresh yogurt (curd) and 3 teaspoons of oil. Use any neutral and flavorless oil.

adding curd and oil in flour mixture

3. Lightly mix everything with a spoon or with your hands.

mixing flour mixture for dough

4. Add water. I added ⅔ cup water in parts, you can add from ½ to ⅔ cup water.

Keep in mind that the quantity of water you need to add will depend on the quality and texture of the flours. So, add as needed to make a soft and pliable dough.

adding water to flour mixture

5. Mix and then begin to knead.

mixing to make kulcha dough

6. Knead to a smooth, pliable and soft dough.

knead to smooth dough

7. Cover the dough and keep aside for 2 hours ( I kept for 1 hour and 48 minutes).

kneaded kulcha dough covered and kept for 2 hours

Make Potato Stuffing

8. Meanwhile, steam or boil 4 to 5 potatoes (about 300 to 350 grams) till they are cooked through completely.

You can boil the potatoes adding water as needed in a pan on the stove-top, instant pot or a stove-top pressure cooker. You can also peel and dice the potatoes and steam them in a steamer pan.

boiling potatoes for stuffing

9. Peel and mash the potatoes with a potato masher.

peeling and mashing potatoes for stuffing

10. Add the following spices and herbs:

  • 1 teaspoon chopped green chilies
  • ½ teaspoon red chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon dried mango powder (amchur powder)
  • ¼ to ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
  • 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)
adding spices and herbs to mashed potatoes

11. Mix the spices and herbs in the mashed potatoes very well. Check the taste and add more of the salt, green chilies and dried mango powder if required.

mixing spices and herbs in mashed potatoes

12. After resting the dough for 2 hours, lightly knead the dough again.

kulcha dough rested for 2 hours

Assemble and Stuff Aloo Kulcha

13. Make medium sized balls from the dough.

medium sized aloo kulcha dough balls

14. Sprinkle some whole wheat flour on the rolling board and on the dough ball.

some whole wheat flour on dough ball before rolling

15. With a rolling pin, roll it into a disc or circle of 5 to 6 inches diameter.

rolling into a kulcha

16. Place some potato stuffing in the center, keep 1 to 1.5 inches space all over the circumference.

stuffing on rolled kulcha

17. Bring the edges together and pinch them to join at the center.

bringing edges together to join at center

18. Press the joined edges and sprinkle some sesame seeds on it. Press the sesame seeds with your fingers or very lightly with the rolling pin so that they stick to the dough.

Adding sesame seeds is optional. I made the aloo kulcha, both with and without sesame seeds.

sesame seeds on the stuffed dough ball

19. Sprinkle some flour.

some more whole wheat flour on stuffed dough ball

20. Turn over and sprinkle some sesame seeds here too. Sprinkle a bit of flour again. This is an optional step.

making aloo kulcha

21. Gently roll out to a large disc of about 7 to 8 inches in diameter dusting with flour as needed.

roll dough ball into a kulcha

Cook Aloo Kulcha on Tawa

22. On a hot tawa or skillet, gently place the stuffed kulcha. Keep the heat to medium-high or high.

rolled aloo kulcha on tawa

23. Flip the aloo kulcha with a spatula when one side is partially cooked. You will see faint golden spots on this lightly cooked side.

rolled kulcha on tawa flipped and fried

24. Spread some ghee (clarified butter) or oil on this side. The amount of ghee or oil to be added, depends upon you. You can either add less or more or skip it as well.

roasting aloo kulcha with ghee

25. Flip again.

flipped aloo kulcha

26. Now spread some ghee or oil on this side too.

ghee on flipped aloo kulcha

27. Flip again and you will see both the sides with brown or golden spots.

frying aloo kulcha till browned

28. Press the edges with a spatula to ensure that they are cooked.

press edges for even cooking of kulcha

29. Flip once or twice to ensure even roasting and cooking.

flip and roast aloo kulcha for even cooking

30. Here is a cooked Aloo Kulcha without sesame seeds.

cooked aloo kulcha with sesame seeds

31. Place the aloo kulcha in a roti basket.

aloo kulcha in roti basket

32. Add ½ to 1 teaspoon of butter and spread it with a butter knife or spoon. Prepare all the kulcha and stack them up this way. I assemble, roll the kulcha and roast them simultaneously.

spreading butter on aloo kulchas

33. After making each kulcha, wipe the tawa with a cotton kitchen towel to get rid of the browned or burnt flour particles.

wiping tawa to get rid of burnt flour particles

34. You can also serve Aloo Kulcha straightaway from the skillet or pan to the plate. Serve these hot or warm with butter, curd, mango pickle, green peas curry or chana masala.

aloo kulcha served on a plate with a bowl of curd by side

How to serve Aloo Kulcha

For serving, I chose to pair my Aloo Kulcha with fresh homemade yogurt (curd). Other accompaniments that really go well with this kulcha are obviously Peshawari Chole, Dal Makhani, Dal Bukhara or just mango pickle.

But don’t be surprised if you find your loved ones having this Aloo Kulcha all by itself. It is so tasty that you don’t really need anything with it! This soft Aloo Kulcha is also perfect for your kid’s tiffin box. You’ll know this when they will return with empty boxes!

Expert Tips

  1. While making the dough, the amount of water to be added depends on the quality of the flours. So, add accordingly. You need to make a smooth, soft and pliable dough.
  2. To prepare the potatoes for stuffing, you can cook the potatoes in a steamer or pressure cooker or instant pot. To mash the peeled potatoes, you can use a fork too. Make sure to mash the potatoes really well.
  3. You can opt to substitute baking soda in the recipe by swapping it with ¼ to ½ teaspoon baking powder.
  4. In the potato stuffing, substitutes for dried mango powder (amchur powder) are dried pomegranate seeds powder (anardana powder), lime juice or chaat masala. You can add about ½ to 1 teaspoon of dried pomegranate seeds powder or ½ teaspoon chaat masala powder. Lime juice can be added as per your taste. There should be just a faint sour taste or tang in the stuffing.
  5. Make sure to wipe the tawa with a cotton kitchen towel after making each kulcha. This helps getting rid of burnt flour particles.
  6. This is a vegetarian recipe. But you can even make it vegan by skipping the yogurt or using a plant-based yogurts like almond or cashew yogurt, and roasting the kulcha in oil instead of ghee.

FAQs

Can I prepare the kulcha dough and stuffing and store overnight?

Yes, these can be prepared and refrigerated to store overnight. Make sure to store in an airtight steel box. Spread some oil on top of the dough.

I don’t want to use baking soda and all-purpose flour. Are there any substitutes for these?

Yes, you can use fruit salt (Eno) instead of baking soda and whole wheat flour (atta) in place of all-purpose flour (maida).

Why is baking soda used in this recipe?

Baking soda is used in this recipe because it helps in leavening.

How can I avoid the potato stuffing from coming out while rolling the kulcha?

Make sure that the potatoes are mashed well and you are not overstuffing the kulcha. While rolling, make sure to roll into thick to medium-thick discs. If these are thin, then the stuffing tends to come out.

What is the difference between paratha and kulcha?

Paratha is an unleavened flatbread and kulcha is a leavened flatbread. Traditionally, kulcha are made in a tandoor or clay oven and baked plain kulcha without any stuffing can be stored for many days.

More Indian Bread Recipes to Try!

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aloo kulcha in a white plate

Aloo Kulcha

Aloo Kulcha is a crisp and soft leavened flatbread stuffed with a spiced mashed potato filling. The dish is from the North Indian cuisine and is very popular in Delhi as well as Punjab.
4.68 from 31 votes
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Dough Resting Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours 10 minutes
Cuisine North Indian, Punjabi
Course Breakfast, Brunch
Diet Vegetarian
Difficulty Level Moderate
Servings 8 Aloo Kulcha
Units

Ingredients

For dough

  • 1 cup whole wheat flour – 120 grams
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour – 125 grams
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 3 teaspoons oil or ghee (clarified butter) – I used oil
  • 2 tablespoons Curd (yogurt) – vegan yogurts like cashewnut or almond yogurt can be used as substitutes
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • ¾ to 1 teaspoon salt or add as required
  • ½ to ⅔ cup water for kneading or add as required
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons sesame seeds (black or white) or nigella seeds (kalonji)

For stuffing

  • 3 large potatoes – 300 to 350 grams or 4 to 5 medium potatoes
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped green chilies or 1 to 2 green chilies
  • ½ teaspoon red chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon dried mango powder (amchur powder) or add as required
  • ¼ to ½ teaspoon Garam Masala
  • 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)

More Ingredients

  • oil or ghee for roasting as required

Instructions
 

Making dough

  • In a mixing bowl take whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda, 1 teaspoon sugar and ¾ to 1 teaspoon salt or as required.
  • Add curd (yogurt) and oil.
  • Lightly mix everything with a spoon or with your hands.
  • Add water. I added ⅔ cup of water in parts. The amount of water to be added depends on the quality of the flours. So, add accordingly.
  • Mix and then begin to knead.
  • Knead to a smooth, pliable and soft dough. Cover the dough and keep aside for 2 hours.

Making potato stuffing

  • Meanwhile, steam or boil the potatoes until they are cooked through completely. You can cook the potatoes in a steamer or pressure cooker or in the instant pot.
  • Peel and mash the potatoes with a potato masher. You can also use a fork to mash the potatoes or grate them first and mash later.
  • Add the chopped green chilies, red chili powder, dried mango powder, garam masala powder and coriander leaves. 
  • Mix the spices and herbs in the mashed potatoes very well. Check the taste and add more of the salt, green chilies and dried mango powder if required.

Assembling and rolling aloo kulcha

  • After two hours lightly knead the dough again.
  • Make medium sized balls from the kulcha dough.
  • Sprinkle some whole wheat flour on the rolling board and on the dough ball.
  • With a rolling pin, roll it into a disc or circle of 5 to 6 inches diameter.
  • Place some potato stuffing in the center, keep 1 inch space all over the circumference.
  • Bring the edges together and pinch to join them at the center.
  • Press the joined edges and sprinkle some sesame seeds on top. Press the sesame seeds with your fingers or very lightly with the rolling pin so that they stick to the dough.
  • Sprinkle some flour. Adding sesame seeds is optional. You can skip them.
  • Gently roll to a large disc of about 7 to 8 inches in diameter.

Cooking aloo kulcha

  • On a hot tawa or skillet, gently place the stuffed kulcha. Keep heat to medium-high or high.
  • Flip over when one side is partially cooked. You will light golden spots on this side. Also, spread some ghee or oil on this side.
  • The amount of ghee or oil to be added, depends on you. You can either add less or more or skip it too.
  • Flip again and now spread some ghee or oil on the second side. The second side will be slightly more cooked than the first side.
  • Press the kulcha edges with a spatula to ensure that they are cooked well with crispy golden spots on both the sides.
  • Flip once or twice to ensure even roasting and cooking.
  • Place the kulcha in a roti basket.
  • Add ½ to 1 teaspoon of softened butter and spread it with a butter knife or spoon. Prepare all the aloo kulchas with the above method and stack them up in the roti basket.
  • After making each aloo kulcha, wipe the tawa with a cotton kitchen towel to get rid of the browned or burnt flour particles.
  • You can also serve kulcha straightaway from the skillet to the plate. Serve these hot or warm with butter, curd, mango pickle, grean peas curry or chana masala.

Notes

Substitutions:

  • Baking soda – Use ¼ to ½ teaspoon baking powder instead.
  • Dry mango powder: Swap with dry pomegranate seeds powder (anardana powder), lime juice or chaat masala. You can add about ½ to 1 teaspoon of dried pomegranate seeds powder. Lime juice can be added as per your taste. There should be just a light sour taste or tang in the potato stuffing.

Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)

Nutrition Facts
Aloo Kulcha
Amount Per Serving
Calories 311 Calories from Fat 153
% Daily Value*
Fat 17g26%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 13g
Cholesterol 1mg0%
Sodium 266mg12%
Potassium 376mg11%
Carbohydrates 36g12%
Fiber 4g17%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 52IU1%
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg67%
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg59%
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 2mg10%
Vitamin B6 1mg50%
Vitamin B12 1µg17%
Vitamin C 14mg17%
Vitamin D 1µg7%
Vitamin E 7mg47%
Vitamin K 3µg3%
Calcium 33mg3%
Vitamin B9 (Folate) 48µg12%
Iron 2mg11%
Magnesium 44mg11%
Phosphorus 121mg12%
Zinc 1mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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This aloo kulcha post from the blog archives first published in January 2015 has been republished and updated on 15 February 2022.

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108 Comments

  1. Hi! Can the kulcha dough and stuffing be prepared and stored overnight?

    1. yes, kulcha dough can be prepared and refrigerated when storing overnight. store in an airtight steel dabba or box. spread some oil on top of the dough.

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