Tawa Kulcha | Soft Kulcha Recipe on Tawa

Learn how to make Tawa Kulcha recipe with detailed step by step pictures. Soft Kulcha recipe on Tawa, easy homemade tawa kulcha recipe, fail-proof restaurant style kulcha recipe can be easily made at home!

Homemade Tawa Kulcha

Kulcha is a popular Indian leavened flatbread from Amritsar, Punjab but is quite easy to find in any restaurant all over the country. It is typically cooked in a clay tandoor oven but it is not so difficult to make soft kulcha on tawa (on stovetop) at home.

Jump to:

• Homemade Tawa Kulcha
• Difference between Kulcha and Naan
• Kulcha with Yeast
• Can Tawa Kulcha be made with Whole Wheat Flour?
• Tips & Important Notes for Making Soft Kulcha at Home
• Storing & Serving Suggestions
• Similar Recipes
• Tawa Recipe with Step by Step Pictures
• Recipe Notes
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

Difference between Kulcha and Naan

Kulcha and Naan are both leavened flat breads made with all-purpose flour/maida, mostly similar except for the shape and the use of leavening agents. Naan is usually yeast-based but Kulcha typically is not. It is usually made with baking soda/baking powder. However there are exceptions to this and sometimes Kulcha is also made with yeast. Naan is served either plain, brushed with butter or as Garlic Naan, flavored with lots of garlic. Kulcha can also be served plain & brushed with butter. There are however a lot of stuffed kulcha variations.

Aloo Stuffed Kulcha is quite popular and so is Paneer Kulcha. Kulcha can be stuffed with any spicy meat or vegetable based fillings and it makes for a great stuffed leavened flat bread. Kulcha is often soft and fluffy, however Naan is stretched and thin, rendering crispy edges. Both Naan & Kulcha are cooked in a tandoor oven, but it is very easy to make them on stovetop or bake in an oven.

Kulcha with Yeast

Kulcha is usually made with baking soda and baking powder as the leavening agents. Most of the Kulcha recipes that I have shared are non-yeast based. This tawa kulcha recipe uses yeast and  it resembles & tastes similar to Delhi style Kulcha that is soft, fluffy and melt-in-mouth.

As the Tawa kulcha dough is made with active instant dry yeast, it can both be made on stovetop on a tawa or could be baked in an oven too. I find that the oven baking takes longer than cooking on a tawa and the kulcha might dry out ever so slightly as it gets cooked longer in an oven. Cooking kulchas on highest heat results in the beautiful golden spots, similar to that of the ones made in a tandoor.

Can Tawa Kulcha be made with Whole Wheat Flour?

Traditionally Kulcha is made with all-purpose flour/maida. However, for a healthier version and to avoid white flour, replace half of it or in entirety with whole wheat flour. Refer to this Whole Wheat Kulcha recipe for more details.

Tips & Important Notes for Making Soft Kulcha at Home

Kulcha is a slightly technical recipe that involves working with yeast. If you are starting off yeast based baking, this is a beginner recipe that could boost your confidence. Follow the below notes and tips to replicate the same results.

• Always proof your Active Instant Dry Yeast with sugar and tepid warm water. The water needs to be tepid, a little warmer when you feel it. If the water is lukewarm or too hot, yeast doesn’t proof well.
• Never bring yeast and salt together. Mix salt at the very beginning or at the very end so that yeast can still survive and double up our dough.
• Patience is the key, wait for your dough to double in volume. The more it grows, the fluffier the bread.
• Instead of rolling the roll, gently pat and stretch with your hands for authentic shape and texture. Do not be tempted to roll it too thin. It must be about 2mm in thickeness for those kulchas to be soft.
• Cook the kulchas on heat high on both sides with a generous brushing of butter or oil, until multiple golden spots develop. Cooking on low flame for longer time could cause them to get hard and chewy.

Storing & Serving Suggestions

As kulchas are cooked, keep them stacked in a hotbox/casserole lined with kitchen tissue or wrap them in aluminum foil to retain the softness. They are best served hot with any paneer, egg or mushroom based curry. To store them for more than a day, keep them in an airtight container refrigerated and reheat before serving.

Similar Recipes

Tawa Recipe with Step by Step Pictures

In a small bowl add 1 teaspoon sugar and ½ teaspoon active instant dry yeast with ¼ cup tepid warm water. Let it rest for 5 mins in a warm place until the yeast is bubbly & frothy.

In a mixing bowl add 1.5 cups all purpose flour, 2 tablespoon thick curd, 2 teaspoon oil and salt as needed.

Mix it well and make a well in the center, pour the frothy yeast mixture.

Mix it roughly with a spoon until it comes together.

Knead it with the palm of your hand until the dough is smooth for about 3-4 mins.

Cover it with cling film and leave for proofing for about 2 hours.

When the dough has doubled in volume, it is ready to be used.

Gently deflate the dough. Divide into 6 equal parts.

Dust the surface with extra flour and flatten a ball of dough. Stretch gently and pat on the dough to make a small circle.

Sprinkle some finely chopped coriander leaves and black sesame seeds at the center. Press and pat, sprinkle some flour on top.

Spread or roll the kulcha until it is 2mm in thickness.

Meanwhile heat a tawa/flat pan for cooking the kulcha. Drizzle some oil/butter on the tawa. Once hot, place the prepared kulcha on the tawa.

Cook on high flame until the bottom starts to turn golden. Flip it gently, cook on the other side.

Brush generously with butter/oil on both sides and when there are golden spots, remove from heat. Repeat this with rest of the kulcha dough.

Serve hot with any curry or gravy on the side.

Recipe Notes

• To make vegan kulcha, skip curd altogether and use oil for cooking.
• The proofing time depends on the climatic conditions, wait until the dough has doubled in volume before making the kulchas.
• It is optional to sprinkle coriander leaves and sesame seeds. Alternatively, finely chopped garlic can also be added. Instead of black sesame seeds, white sesame seeds or onion seeds can also be used.

I would be delighted to know if you have tried this recipe, don’t forget to share your feedback and comments below. If you have any questions, you can e-mail me! I am also available on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter 🙂

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