Paneer Kulcha | Easy Indian Bread Recipes

I was always a Butter-Naan person when it came to ordering Indian breads in restaurants.Yes,the dripping with butter and soft and fluffy naans to mop up the yummilicious Paneer Butter Masala would take me to food nirvana.No amount of teasing from Ajay about fat and calories would stop me from having it,in my defense I'd say we don't eat it daily!

I think it was during one of those rare days when I felt like ordering something new I tasted a Kulcha.When it reached our table it was hot and puffy and was all I hoped for and more.Soft and fluffy and slathered with butter and filled with a mixture of paneer and onions,what's not there to like?

I'd been wanting to try it at home since a long time.It doesn't require Yeast and is leavened using baking powder or baking soda.You can of course make it plain or stuff it with paneer or onions or spiced potato masala.It tastes great with any north indian curry,particularly Chole.I'd made Malai Kofta and should say it is indeed a delicious combination.

Paneer Kulcha

Ingredients

All purpose flour/Maida - 2 cups
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Sugar - 3/4 tsp
Baking soda - 1/4 tsp
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Yogurt - 1 tbsp
Milk as required to make the dough

For the paneer filling

Paneer - 100 gms,grated
Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
Jeera powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Fresh coriander leaves - 1 tbsp,chopped
Salt to taste

Method

For the dough 
 
Mix together all the dry ingredients and mix in enough milk and knead into a smooth dough.
 
Cover the dough with a damp towel and keep aside for an hour.
For the filling  
 
Mix together all the ingredients.Divide into 5 portions and shape into a smooth ball.
Making the kulcha  
 
Divide 5 portions of the dough and shape into smooth balls.Starting with one roll into a thick poori sized shape.
Keep the paneer filling in the middle and close the sides carefully making sure the filling is covered from all sides.Shape into round discs and rest it for 10-15 minutes.Repeat the procedure with the rest of the filling.
 
Flatten the balls into thin kulchas using enough flour to dust,without giving much pressure so that the filling inside stays intact.
 
Heat a chapathi tawa and cook the kulchas till golden brown on both sides adding enough ghee/oil/butter to taste.The kulchas will puff up beautifully creating pockets inside which would make it fluffy.

 Serve hot.

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No-Fry Baby Corn Manchurian

I think Baby corn is one of my most favorite vegetables.I can have it in any form,fried baby corn or baby corn curry or mixed in pasta dishes,it remains a delicious affair.I've been steering clear of Manchurian dishes of any kind off late thanks to the amount of oil required for frying.As is the norm after any holiday or binge outings,I am on a self proclaimed diet-exercise regimen,so can't find an excuse there either.

I've tried a no-fry cauliflower manchurian before.To give it it's due,it was delicious but give me a fried version anyday!So I'd be lying if I said I wasn't apprehensive before trying this out.But if you chose tender baby corn,it really takes only a little time to cook,so shallow frying works perfectly fine.

Making the manchurian sauce is the next step.I usually follow a very simple recipe with basic ingredients for Indo-Chinese cooking.However,you can add/subtract ingredients of your choice.

No-Fry Baby corn Manchurian
Recipe for the no-fry baby corn - Dassana

Ingredients

Baby corn - 200 gms

For the batter

Maida/All purpose flour - 3/4 cup
Cornflour - 1/4 cup
Bengal gram flour/kadalamavu - 1 tbsp
Salt and pepper to taste
Enough water to prepare a batter
Oil - 1-2 tbsp

For the Manchurian sauce

Oil - 1 tbsp
Onion - 1 big,finely chopped
Green chilly - 1,finely chopped
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Capsicum - half of one big,chopped
Tomato sauce - 1 tbsp
Soya sauce - 1 tbsp
Green chilly sauce - 1 tbsp
Vinegar - 1 tsp
Sugar - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Cornflour - 1 tbsp,mixed with 1/4 cup of water

Method

 
Wash and wipe clean the baby corn and cut into half lengthwise.
 
Make a batter using the ingredients mentioned-starting with flour,cornflour,salt,pepper and water.
 
In a shallow frying pan add 1 tbsp oil.Dip each baby corn pieces into the batter and place evenly on the hot pan.Let it brown on one side then flip over and cook the other side.It may take anywhere between 5-10 minutes for the baby corn to cook,brown and crisp up.
 
Meanwhile make the manchurian sauce.In a non-stick pan add oil and saute the onions and green chilly till golden brown.
Mix in the ginger garlic paste and saute for 3-4 minutes or till the raw smell goes.
 
Add the chopped capsicum,tomato sauce,soya sauce,chilly sauce,vinegar,sugar and salt to taste and stir well.
 
Now add the cornflour slurry and mix well till you get a thick manchurian sauce.
 
Mix in the shallow fried baby corn and stir well till the pieces get coated with the sauce and turns crisp.

 Switch off the flame and serve hot.

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Kuzhi Paniyaram Chettinad-Style

I was,still am a tiffin-person.I prefer having palaharam the whole day.No rice,no chapathi-give me dosa-idli-appam any time of the day and I'll be one happy person.Many days in a week,I make a little extra breakfast so that I can have it as a snack later in the day or sometimes if I am alone,it easily becomes my lunch with a fruit and a juice as an accompaniment.

Kuzhi paniyaram is something which has caught up like wildfire in restaurants these days.Anywhere we go,in Chennai there is a Kuzhi paniyaram as the special of the day.My friend Ramya is such a big fan of these that she has to try one plate from each and every place which serves these,come what may.It is another matter altogether that we joke about it and are the first ones to attack the plate when it arrives:)

Making these at home is a very simple affair if you have ready dosa batter.Ma-in-law grinds a separate batter for appo,making it a bit thick and coarse,but since I grind my dosa batter in bulk,I use the same.The seasoning is up to your choice,really.Adding soaked channa dal,cashewnuts,groundnuts choices are aplenty to make sure your paniyarams taste different every time!

Kuzhi Paniyaram Chettinad Style

Ingredients

Idli-dosa batter - 3 cups

For the seasoning

Oil - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Urad dal - 1/4 tsp
Methi seeds - a pinch
Green chilly - 1,finely chopped
Ginger - 1/2' piece,grated
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Carrot,grated - 2 tbsp
Grated coconut - 1 tbsp
Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp,chopped
Salt to taste

Oil/ghee or a mix of both for making the paniyaram

Method

 
In a pan add oil and splutter mustard seeds,urad dal and methi.
 
Mix in green chilly,curry leaves and ginger.Saute for a minute then add chopped onions and saute for 1-2 minutes.
 
Add grated carrot,coconut,coriander leaves and salt to taste.
 
Switch off flame and mix into the dosa batter.
 
Heat a paniyaram pan and add about 1/2 tsp of oil/ghee in each hole.When the oil gets hot pour one ladleful of batter into it and cover with a lid.
 
Cook for 1-2 minutes on medium flame then flip over and cook the other side.Remove and serve warm with coconut chutney.

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