Kulcha

Ingredients:

·         1 tsp. dried yeast

·         120 ml warm water

·         120 ml warm milk

·         1 tsp. sugar

·         2 cups all-purpose flour

·         1/4 tsp. baking powder

·         1/2 tsp. salt or to taste

·         4 tbsps. unsweetened yogurt

·         2 tbsps. ghee (melted)/ vegetable/ canola/ sunflower cooking oil

Preparation:

·         Put the warm water and warm milk in a plastic bowl and mix. Sprinkle the dried yeast over this mixture and then stir with a spoon. Keep aside for 8-10 minutes. In that time, a froth/ foam will form on top of the liquid mixture.

·         While the above mixture is being prepared, mix the flour, baking powder and salt. Now sift/ sieve it into a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center.

·         Into this well, add the yogurt and ghee/ oil and then the yeast-water-milk mixture. Mix with your fingertips till the all the flour is assimilated. Now begin to knead the dough. You might need to oil your hands a little to prevent the dough from sticking to them.

·         Knead till the dough is absolutely smooth. Now cover the mixing bowl with cling wrap and keep aside for 2-3 hours. The dough will double in size in this time.

·         Remove the cling wrap and punch the dough to allow all the air to escape from it. Knead again for 1-2 minutes.

·         Now divide the dough into equal-sized portions. You will get about 8-10 kulchas from this amount of dough. Roll each portion between your palms till it forms a smooth ball. Do this for all the portions. Once you have made the dough balls, each Kulcha can be prepared to cook while the previous one is cooking on the griddle.

·         Heat a griddle on a medium flame.

·         Take one dough ball in your hand and press this ball with your palms and fingers to form a circle or oval. You could also do this on a lightly floured rolling board. Do this till the Kulcha is about 5-6 mm thick.

·         Now place it on the hot griddle and cook till bubbles begin to appear on the upper surface. Now flip the Kulcha and cook the other side till pale brown spots begin to appear on it. Flip again and allow the next side to develop these pale brown spots. The Kulcha will now be ready. Remove from the griddle and either serve hot or keep in a closed container, wrapped in foil till ready to eat.

Making stuffed Kulchas:
Kulchas can also be stuffed with mashed and seasoned potato, finely chopped garlic, finely chopped onion, finely chopped coriander, cooked minced meat or any other dry-ish filling of your choice!

To make stuffed Kulchas, the filling must be added at the stage when you make the dough balls. To do this, take one portion of ready dough and press it between your palms to make a 4" diameter circle. Now place 1-2 tbsps. of the filling in the center of this circle and pinch ends to close and seal. Now very gently roll into a ball and proceed as above to cook.