Amritsari Kulcha with Chole: Okay listen, if you’ve ever had proper Amritsari kulcha chole from one of those roadside dhabas (the ones with the smoky smell and zero seating), you know it’s hard to match at home. I’ve tried a bunch of recipes over the years—some too fancy, some too bland—and this is the one I keep coming back to. Nothing super complicated, no tandoor required, and it still gives that crispy-edged, butter-soaked kulcha with dark, tangy chole that makes you want to eat more than you should.
I made this last Sunday when friends dropped by unannounced (classic), and they cleaned the plates. Here’s exactly how I do it now—no chef-level precision, just stuff that works in a normal kitchen.
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Quick why-I-love-it rundown
- Kulcha puffs up nice on a tawa, stays soft inside from the potato stuffing
- Chole gets that deep reddish-black color from black tea (trust me, it changes everything)
- Super forgiving—if the dough’s a bit off or you forget a spice, it still tastes great
- Works vegan if you swap butter for oil
Rough timing (because who actually times this stuff?) Soak chickpeas night before. Prep everything: 30 mins Cook: 50–70 mins depending how slow you bhuno Feeds 4–5 if nobody’s starving
What goes in the kulcha
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Dough part
- 2 cups maida (sometimes I throw in ¼ cup atta so it’s not too soft)
- ½ tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp baking soda
- 1 small tsp sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 big spoons oil or ghee
- Warm milk (around ½ cup) – water works too
- 2–3 spoons dahi if you have it (makes it softer) Knead soft, cover, forget for 1–2 hours or overnight in fridge.
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Aloo stuffing Boil 4–5 potatoes, mash while hot. Mix:
- 1–2 hari mirch chopped
- 1 tsp adrak grated
- 1 tsp dhania powder
- ½ tsp lal mirch
- ½ tsp garam masala
- 1 good tsp anardana powder (this is the magic for tang—don’t skip)
- Salt + lots of chopped hara dhania
Topping – Butter (real butter, not margarine), kalonji, til (sesame), extra dhania, raw pyaz for serving.
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For the chole
Boil
- 1½ cups kabuli chana soaked overnight
- 2–3 black tea bags (or loose tea in a cloth) + salt + water Pressure cook 4–5 whistles till really soft. Squeeze tea bags for color, throw bags away.
Gravy Heat 3 spoons oil/ghee. Throw in: 1–2 moti elaichi, tej patta, laung, dalchini, jeera. Once crackling, add 2 big onions (chop fine or blend). Brown them properly—takes 10+ mins, don’t rush. Ginger-garlic paste → cook 1 min. Tomato puree (2–3 tomatoes) + all powders: Kashmiri mirch for color, haldi, dhania, chole masala (2–3 tsp), salt. Bhuno till oil comes up on sides (this is where flavor happens). Add boiled chana + some water. Simmer 20–30 mins. Mash a few chana for thickness. Finish with amchur (or imli paste), garam masala, hara dhania. Taste—adjust mirch/tang/salt.
How to actually cook the kulcha
- Make balls from dough.
- Flatten, stuff potato mix, seal well (pinch tight or it leaks).
- Roll gently into oval/round, not too thin.
- Sprinkle kalonji, til, dhania, press lightly.
- Hot tawa (medium-high). Put kulcha on, wait for bubbles, flip after 1–2 mins.
- Press with cloth to puff, spread butter when golden spots show. Flip once more if needed.
If using oven: preheat super hot (220–250°C), bake on hot tray 8–10 mins, butter after.
Plating like a boss Hot kulcha straight from tawa → drown in butter. Big ladle of chole on side. Sliced onions, green chilli, lemon wedges, achaar. Chilled sweet lassi if you’re feeling full Punjabi.
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Read More Recipes: How to Make Chole Bhature at Home – The Ultimate Punjabi Recipe (Crispy, Fluffy & Restaurant-Style)
Things I’ve learned after screwing up a few times
- No tea = sad pale chole. Always use it.
- Onions not browned = weird sweet taste. Patience pays.
- Dough too stiff? Splash more milk next time.
- Leftovers taste better next day—chole especially.
- Sometimes I stuff with onion instead of aloo for variety.
That’s it. Make this once, and you’ll probably start craving it every weekend like I do. If you try it, tell me—did it puff up? Was the chole tangy enough? Or did you add extra mirch like a true Bengali-Punjabi fusion person?
