Are you searching for a delicious flatbread to pair with your favorite curry? This Onion Kulcha is the perfect choice! It is made with whole wheat flour and a flavorful filling of spices and onions. Fresh flatbread, ready in under 30 minutes!
Onion kulcha is a popular Indian flatbread made by stuffing wheat dough with a spiced onion filling and cooking it on both sides in a hot skillet. Perfect to enjoy with curries(especially this bell pepper curry).
Honestly speaking, I made this onion kulcha only because my family and I got bored with regular flatbreads and wanted something unique and special. I had no ingredients except onions that day, so I made this. And I felt guilty for not attempting to make it all these years!
Lesson learned: You don’t always need special ingredients to make great food. Now, I feel more confident—just a quick look through my pantry and can whip up something my family loves!
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What Is Kulcha?
Kulcha is a kind of Indian flatbread that originated in the Western state of India, Punjab, and later became popular throughout the country. It is usually served for breakfast, but it is excellent for dinner, too.
Generally, kulcha is made in two ways: stuffed and unstuffed. Our today's onion kulcha recipe is stuffed type(with onion-based filling).
Why You'll Love This Recipe
⭐️Easy prepping work and tastes delicious!
⭐️Made with Easy to find ingredients, too!
⭐️A fabulous breakfast or dinner recipe
Ingredients
- Whole wheat flour: This is wholesome and becomes softer after resting time. You can also substitute with multi-grain flour.
- All-purpose flour: We are adding half the all-purpose flour and half the whole wheat flour for a perfect chewy texture.
- Baking powder and Baking soda: These leavening agents help the dough become light & fluffy.
- Curd/yogurt: Another softening agent in this onion kulcha recipe helps the dough taste rich and unique. You can use either homemade curd or store-bought yogurt.
- Onion: Chop the onions as fine as possible, which helps to roll the kulcha thinner without any huge chunks.
- Cumin seeds: I call this a flavor enhancer.
- Ajwain: I would recommend using it not only for its flavor but also for its unique Indian flavors.
- Cilantro/coriander leaves are the secret behind the refreshing kick in the onion kulcha recipe. You can also combine them with fresh mint leaves.
- Onion Seeds: These seeds are used for decoration and are optional.
- Vegetable oil: You can substitute it with ghee (clarified butter).
How To Make Onion Kulcha
- Mix wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, yogurt, and salt in a bowl. Add water slowly and knead into a soft dough. Coat with oil, cover, and let it rest for four hours.
- Mix chopped onion, cilantro, cumin seeds, carom seeds, red chili powder, and salt in a bowl.
- Divide the dough into 10 balls. Roll one into a small circle, place onion masala in the center, and seal the edges. Roll it gently into a smooth ball.
- Heat a pan and cook the kulcha with oil for 1-2 minutes on each side until black spots appear. Repeat for the rest and serve hot with raita.
♨️How To Adjust The Heat Level
This onion kulcha tastes mildly hot. In this recipe, red chili powder provides heat, whereas cumin and carom seeds offer a warmness.
If you prefer a milder version, substitute red chili powder with paprika and also adjust the amount of cumin and carom seeds.
You can also increase the red chili powder or add cayenne pepper for more heat.
The Leftovers
Store leftover onion kulcha in the refrigerator for about 3 days or in the freezer for up to three months.
You can directly reheat the frozen onion kulcha over the stovetop(no thawing is necessary). I prefer the stovetop method, as the microwave can make them slightly soft and soggy.
FAQ
Yes, although the yogurt softens the flavor and the texture, you can substitute it with buttermilk or skip it.
Yes, that is a great option. You can freeze the uncooked onion kulcha but separate them with parchment paper so they don't stick together. Place them in a freezer-safe bag or container, and you can cook them whenever you need.
Yes, absolutely! Using this onion kulcha recipe as a guideline, you can create your masterpiece by adding potatoes and vegetables like cauliflower, carrots, cabbage, etc.
Serve with curry like Madras Lentils and Indian-style yogurt-based condiments.
More Indian Style Recipes To Try
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know your thoughts in the 📝 comments section below the recipe.
📖 Recipe
Onion Kulcha Recipe
Ingredients
For making the dough
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 cup All-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ cup yogurt /curd
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup water or as needed for kneading.
For onion masala
- ½ cup onion finely copped
- ¼ cup cilantro finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon carom seeds
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- ¼ tsp salt
For making kulcha
- 8 teaspoon vegetable oil for drizzling
Instructions
Making the dough
- In a mixing bowl, combine wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, yogurt, salt.
- Rub until all the ingredient combines well.
- Add water little at a time to make a smooth, soft dough.
- Sprinkle vegetable oil and spread all around the dough.
- Cover it with a lid.
- Set aside for four hours.
Making the onion masala
- In a mixing bowl, add chopped onion, chopped cilantro, cumin seeds, carom seeds, red chili powder, and salt.
- Combine them well.
Prepping the kulcha
- After ther resting time, dough turns soft than before.
- Now divide the dough into 10 equal sized balls. Set aside.
- Dust the board with the flour.
- Keep a dough ball and using the rolling pin spread it like a thick and small circle.
- Place a tablespoon of onion masala at the center.
- Grab the edges together to the center and press gently to make a bigger ball now.
- Again carefully roll to a smooth ball by keeping the filling intact.
Cooking the kulcha
- Heat a pan in medium heat, place this flat kulcha.
- Brush ½ teaspoon of cooking oil and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Flip to the other side, and brush ¼ teaspoon of vegetable oil and cook for 1-2 minutes or until black spots seen.
- Remove from the pan and transfer to a plate.
- Repeat the same procedure for the remaining dough balls.
- And serve hot with raita.
Notes
- For a milder version, substitute red chili powder with paprika and adjust the amount of cumin and carom seeds. Add more chili powder or cayenne for extra heat.
- For a unique variation, you can customize the filling by adding potatoes, cauliflower, carrots, or cabbage.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months—separate uncooked kulchas with parchment paper before freezing.
- Reheat directly on the stovetop for the best texture. Microwaving may make them slightly soft and soggy.
Suja Manoj says
Love it,looks so yummy
Sujatha Muralidhar says
Thank you Suja Manoj!