What the Fork: Kulchas, Tandoor — the Mughal Influence on Amritsari Cuisine, Kunal Vijayakar Writes

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As a canonical foodie, a pilgrimage to Amritsar is a must, and I have done it several times. After all, the food of Amritsar is deeply rooted in the culinary traditions of Punjab, the region’s agricultural heritage, cultural influences, religious practices, and historical events like Partition, and the time when fleeing Punjabi families brought along with them their unique culinary traditions including the tandoor. While to most of the country, tandoor is associated with tandoori chicken, it has always, and first and foremost, at its most basic, been a bread oven.

At nearly 500 degrees centigrade, this traditional clay oven that has been used for cooking in the Indian subcontinent and Central Asia for centuries bakes the most delicious breads including Amritsar’s most famous Kulcha. Amritsar was a prominent city on the historic trade routes of the subcontinent. Hardly surprising then, that this city imbibed influences from both Central Asia and Persia.

Some say the Mughal influence on Amritsari cuisine played a crucial role in the evolution and glorification of Kulcha. In fact, there is a fascinating story of how, after the death of Aurangzeb, Mir Qamar-ud-Din, later to assume the title of Nizam of Hyderabad, was appointed the Governor of Deccan. On his way to south, stopped to meet his spiritual guide Sufi mystic Pir Hazrat Nizamuddin Aurangabadi, hungry Mir Qamar-ud-Din was invited by him for a meal. He was offered kulchas tied in a yellow cloth. Mir Qamar-ud-Din ate seven of those. The Pir was so pleased with Mir that he blessed him. He said one day Mir Qamar-ud-Din would be the king, and his descendants would rule for seven generations.

After the Mughal Empire collapsed, Mir Qamar-ud-Din became the first Nizam of Hyderabad, and proudly adopted the symbol of kulcha as part of his royal insignia, and the yellow colour of the cloth, the Pir had served the kulchas in, as his flag.

The Nizam Dynasty did indeed collapse after seven generations. God forbid, had Mir Qamar-ud-Din eaten 10 kulchas, Hyderabad may have still be ruled by a Nizam.

Coming back to Amritsar, the streets of the old-walled city, are literally strewn with shops, holes-in-the walls, stalls and carts, all equipped with tandoors, making the most delicious kulchas you could find anywhere. It’s like the whole city is kulcha haven. I have often gawked at dough being slapped onto the inner walls of the tandoor, where it cooks almost instantly, producing a soft and slightly charred bread with an incredible smoky flavour. But never eaten kulchas as good as Amritsar.

Classically, an Amritsari Kulcha is soft and fluffy roti, stuffed with a flavourful mix of mashed potatoes, or cauliflower with onions, and spices. It has a unique tangy flavour because of anardana, coriander seeds, and kasuri methi. The dough is flattened and rolled out and baked on the walls of a tandoor till crispy and charred, then doused in generous amounts of either ghee or white butter (I like curd too) and served with a side of chhole, pickle and a sweet and sour chutney of onions, chillies, coriander in tamarind.

One of the finest kulchas you can find in Amritsar is at Pehlwan Ke Kulche in Katra Ahluwalia. This shop in the narrow lanes near the Golden Temple has been serving the most delicious kulchas for over 70 years. Aloo Kulcha, Paneer Kulcha, Pyaaz Kulcha and Gobi Kulcha. While I personally detest cauliflower, I must say, when eaten in a stuffed kulcha, it tastes quite wonderful. Although nothing beats a hot Aloo Pyaaz Kulcha, doused in butter, crushed expertly and eaten with chhole.

Kesar Da Dhabha is another Amritsar icon. This restaurant is over 100 years old, and obviously serves Kulcha, but is also famous for its Punjabi Thali with Palak Paneer and especially, Baigan Ka Bharta. So, if you want to eat your Kulcha with something really wholesome and spicy, this place is really it. The Thali is full of traditionally cooked Punjabi delicacies including Alu Gobi, Rajma, and Dal.

Another kind of Kulcha, which is also available, is called Geela Kulcha. It’s a take on the usual Kulcha, tweaked for convenience. The 120-year-old Radhu Shah Choley Wala in Namak Mandi serves bread like Kulchas which are soaked in masala chhole and then garnished with onions, chillies, coriander and a sweet and sour chutney, all ready to eat. That’s why the dish is called Geela Kulcha or Bheegha Kulcha. Though I really prefer the original kind.

And finally, in the Katra Ahluwalia area itself is a cart called Ram Kulcha Point Patty and Kulcha. This is a long rectangular Kulcha, which is made a bit like a layered patty. The dough is rolled out, smeared with ghee and then stuffed with aloo, pyaaz and spices, folded and then rolled out again. This process is done several times to the same piece of dough and finally, when baked in the tandoor, comes out as flaky as a puff patty. It is the ultimate maida, ghee and gluten overdose, but so luscious and inviting.

I’d like to end by saying it is quite difficult to find a Keema stuffed Kulcha in Amritsar, and you may have to find a bar, which does non-veg food and serves a mutton keema stuffed kulcha. But I did not even miss it one bit. For me, and if I may indulge in bad poetry: ‘Amritsari Kulcha, a taste so divine, filled with aloo or paneer so fine, served hot and crispy, it’s a treat that’s mine’.

Kunal Vijayakar is a food writer based in Mumbai. He tweets @kunalvijayakar and can be followed on Instagram @kunalvijayakar. His YouTube channel is called Khaane Mein Kya Hai. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent the stand of this publication.