The Magical Ingredients for a Wholesome Life From the Heart of my Home: Whole Wheat Stuffed Onion Kulcha

These are nutritious and flavor packed whole wheat kulchas stuffed and topped with onions, brushed with garlic butter, and these can be served for any meal. Serve with a traditional curry like chole, or just with pickle and yogurt, for an amazing meal.

What are kulchas?

Kulchas are a classic leavened Indian bread that are soft, pillowy, and chewy. These are traditionally made in a tandoor oven. Kulchas can be plain or stuffed with delicious fillings.

Are kulchas different from naan?

Yes, they are different from naan. Though both are made with all purpose flour, naan uses yeast as leavening agent while baking powder, baking soda and yogurt are used as leavening agent in kulchas. Kulchas can be made with a mixture of whole wheat and all purpose flour too.

Why is this onion kulcha special?

This has tons of flavors - sweet and spicy, and a little bit of tang from the dry mango powder.

This has tons of onions in it. In fact this has onions stuffed inside, on the top, as well as topped with onion seeds. A perfect fit for onion lovers!

This is made with 100% whole wheat making it nourishing and wholesome in nutrition.

The garlic butter on top elevates the flavors.

These kulchas will be the finest in taste just like the ones you have in restaurants.

These are not made in a tandoor oven, but on stove top. These can be baked in an oven at 425 degrees for 8 minutes.

How long does it take to cook these?

These kulchas are cooked for about 3 minutes on the stovetop. When baking, these get done in about 8 minutes. Depending on the oven, the timing might slightly vary. Keep a watch on these after about 6 minutes and when it gets the desired color, remove from the oven. Brush generously with butter or garlic butter.

To make things easier…..

I prefer to flatten the stuffed dough portion slightly, then top with the desired toppings and roll them. This helps the toppings to stick to the kulchas. When rolling with onions and toppings that have added flavorings, this may result in a little sticky situation. I would prefer to have a smooth rolling pin that a mushy one. Cooking and cleaning should both be easier. I always roll the kulchas topped with flavored onions between parchment papers so that it is easier to roll, easier to transfer, and easier to clean up too. Make sure to change the parchment papers for each kulcha so that there is no mess.

It is best to mix the spice powders and onions just before making the kulchas. Else, the added salt would make the onions release water, and rolling them would be tough.

Can this recipe be scaled up?

Yes. This recipe can be scaled up easily. These are great to make ahead for serving to guests. When scaling up, do not mix the salt to the onions and add it just before stuffing and rolling the kulchas.

Is it easy to make?

Yes. These are not very hard to make. If you have made stuffed breads, or stuffed flatbreads, this recipe will be super easy for you. This recipe is not hard even for a beginner. The step by step instructions would help you to make it.

What can you serve these kulchas with?

Kulcha and chole make the classic combo. This can also be served with this Rajma Curry, Mughlai Moong Dal, or with Paneer curries. These combinations will make a memorable meal.

This month Karen is hosting onion breads in our #breadbakers group make sure to check the links at the end of this post. #BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.This stuffed onion kulcha is my share for the event.

I am also linking this to Happiness is Homemade, Sundays on Silverado, and What's For Dinner.

Ingredients

Makes 6 kulchas

Whole wheat flour - 2.5 cups

Baking powder - 1 tsp

Baking soda - 1/2 tsp

Yogurt - 1/2 cup

Water - 2/3 cup

Salt - 3/4 tsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

For the Filling

Onions - 3/4 cup, finely chopped

Green onions - 1/2 cup, thinly sliced (both green and white parts)

Mango powder - 1/4 tsp

Chaat masala - 1/4 tsp

Cumin powder - 1/4 tsp

Coriander powder - 1/4 tsp

Garam masala - 1/2 tsp

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Thai green chili - 1, finely minced

Cilantro - 1 tbsp, chopped

For Topping

Onions - 3/4 cup, thinly sliced

Cayenne - 1/2 tsp

Kalonji/onion seeds - 1/2 tsp

For brushing

Butter - 1.5 tbsp

Garlic - 1 clove, finely chopped

Salt - 1/8 tsp

Cayenne - 1/8 tsp

Dried methi leaves - 1/2 tsp

Cilantro - 1 tsp, chopped

Method

Add whole wheat flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda to a bowl Mix.

Add the yogurt, sprinkle water and knead to smooth and soft dough. Apply a tablespoon oil, cover and set aside for 2-3 hours.

Just before making the kulcha, Mix onion, spice powders, cilantro, and green onions, and mix with salt to make stuffing.

Add the onions, salt, and red chili powder for topping and set aside.

Add salt, cayenne, methi, cilantro, and garlic to butter. Mix and set aside.

Knead the dough and divide into six portions.

Take a portion of dough (leaving the left covered to prevent from drying), slightly flatten to make a 4-5 -in diameter circle. Add two tablespoons of the finely chopped onion filling. Gently gather the edges and seal.