Amritsari kulcha

Ingredients

• 3 cups maida (refined flour)
• ½ cup curd
• ½ tsp baking soda and 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp sugar and 1 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp ghee
• For the filling: 3 boiled potatoes, mashed
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 green chilli and 2 tbsp coriander, chopped
• 1 tsp crushed anardana (dried pomegranate seeds), ½ tsp ajwain, ½ tsp red chilli powder, salt
• 1 tbsp kalonji (nigella) and coriander leaves to press on top

Method

1. Mix the flour, soda, baking powder, sugar and salt. Add curd, 1 tbsp ghee and enough water to make a soft dough. Cover and rest for 2 hours.
2. Mix the filling ingredients well and divide into 8 portions.
3. Roll a portion of dough into a small circle, brush with ghee, fold into layers and roll into a ball again. This gives flaky layers.
4. Flatten the ball, place the filling in the centre, seal and roll gently into a round about 15 cm across. Press kalonji and coriander on top.
5. Bake against the side of a hot tandoor, or cook on a heavy tawa covered with a lid until golden on both sides, or bake in an oven at 240 °C for 8–10 minutes.
6. Brush with butter, crush lightly between the palms to open the layers, and serve with chole, onion-tamarind chutney and pickled onions.