Matar Kulcha (Multigrain) Recipe

Matar Kulcha – Popular street food of North India.

Matar are dried white peas which are produced by harvesting the peapods when they are fully mature and then drying them. They are also known as safed vatana. No oil is required for preparing matar for matar kulcha. Also, very easy to prepare. It just requires soaking and boiling them with ginger along with a few powdered spices and finally adding a few chopped vegetables to it. 

Kulcha is a type of leavened bread which is prepared with refined flour. It is usually served with matar/chola and this street food is popularly known as matar kulcha/chola kulcha in North India. Sometimes, kulchas are also stuffed with potato or cottage cheese (paneer) and then served.

These kulchas have been made healthier by replacing 70% of refined flour with multigrain flour. 

Kulchas can be prepared in advance and stored. Just warm them a bit on tava at the time of serving.

INGREDIENTS

For Matar

• 1 Cup Safed Vatana (White Peas)
• 1″ Ginger (Grated)
• 1 Tsp Cumin Seeds Powder
• 1/4 Tsp Garam Masala
• 1/2 Tsp Red Chilli Powder
• 2 Onion (Chopped)
• 2 Tomatoes (Chopped)
• 2 Green Chillies (Chopped)
• 1 1/2 Tsp Lemon Juice
• Coriander Leaves (Chopped)
• Salt 

For Kulcha

• 175 Gms. Multigrain Flour
• 75 Gms. Refined Flour
• 1 1/2 Tsp Dry Yeast
• 1 Tsp plus 1 Tsp Sugar
• 1 Tsp Salt
• 180-200 Ml. Water
• 2 Tbsp Oil
• Onion Seeds
• Sesame Seeds

Serves: 6 Kulcha

METHOD

For Matar

1. Soak safed vatana for 5-6 hours in warm water or overnight.
2. Transfer them to a pressure cooker along with three cups of water.
3. Add grated ginger, cumin seeds powder, garam masala, red chilli powder and salt.
4. Boil safed vatana for 25-30 minutes.
5. Add chopped onion, chopped tomato, chopped green chillies, chopped coriander leaves and lemon juice. Mix all ingredients well.
6. Relish with baked kulcha.

For Kulcha

1. Dissolve yeast along with 1 tsp sugar in 50 ml. lukewarm water and set it aside for 6-8 minutes till a layer of froth appears on top. Always cover the yeast bowl or put it at a dark place.
2. Transfer multigrain flour, refined flour, salt, remaining sugar and yeast mixture to a big bowl.
3. Knead a soft dough using food processor/stand-mixer. Add remaining water and oil for kneading dough.
4. Transfer dough to clean kitchen slab for further kneading.
5. Stretch the dough back and forth using palm. Repeat this process for 2-3 minutes.
6. Gently poke dough with your finger. If indentation fills quickly, it is an indication that dough has been sufficiently kneaded.
7. Transfer dough to a greased bowl and cover it with a warm cloth/cling foil. Greasing a bowl will ensure that dough does not stick to its surface while removing.
8. Keep it at a warm place for an hour so that dough can double itself. You can put bowl inside a cupboard or microwave.
9. Once dough is doubled, knock it to remove gas bubbles formed by yeast during rising process.
10. Dough is ready to be shaped.
11. Divide dough into 6 equal portions.
    

    
12. Roll each portion , oval or round shape and transfer them to a baking tray (lined with parchment paper.
13. Bake kulchas at 210°C in a preheated oven for 8-10 minutes.
14. Cover them with a kitchen towel and store in an airtight container once cooled down.