04 February, 2008

Bending the Rules: Tofu Stuffed Kulcha

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Tofu Stuffed Kulcha

Me: What? You can't be serious!
He: Why not?
Me: I am not sure…
He: Common, no one will know…
Me: I am scared!
He: Trust me.
Me: What if someone comes to know?
He: I am sure we are not the only one who have done it.
Me: But it’s not right. Society will never accept it. Oh! It’s a sin.
He: Now, now… look at me. Do you want me to die without experiencing how it would have been?
Me: No!!! Please don’t say that…
He: I have got only 2 more days to live. Won’t you fulfill my last wish?
Me: Oh!!! Of course I want to…


And that’s how he left this world, just two dates before his expiry date. And oh!!! If you are wondering whether it’s some scene from Bollywood movie then you are wrong. I call him Mr. T with love who is known to rest of the world as Tofu. He left this world knowing he had left wonderful memories for me.


Tofu, also known as soybean curd and bean curd is made from curdled soy milk. This custard like white block is high in protein, low in salt and calories and has no cholesterol. By itself Tofu is quite bland and hence it readily picks up the flavour of other ingredients that are cooked with it making one pleasurable, guilt free indulgence.


After cooking Tofu with different techniques pairing it with different ingredients using different regional recipes, I wanted to try something new. Since couple of months back I am using Tofu in Indian cooking and it is pure pleasure to watch it beautifully blend with Indian spices and take us on a roller-coaster ride in taste department. It tastes great when used in Chinese and Thai recipes and it excels when blended with rich Indian spices. Initially I started experimenting by replacing Paneer, Indian cottage cheese, with Tofu. Slowly I started using it boldly with different traditional recipes which our ‘Purist’ cyber aunties would disapprove of and ban me from posting it.


Soft, delicious and aromatic Tofu Stuffed Kulcha is a winner recipe. With much less calories and high in protein content, this recipe was created at nth moment. At spur of a moment I made these Kulchas as I was left with half a pack of left over Tofu which had less than two days of shelf life. And boy!!! Am I happy or not! Although I was little hesitant to use tofu this way the end result was much more than we could ask for. This recipe is a keeper for sure. Served with delicious and spicy Mushroom Curry (Recipe follows soon) it was one satisfying weekend meal.

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Tofu Stuffed Kulcha
Prep Time: 20 mins (Excluding resting time)
Cooking Time: 10-15 mins
Makes: 6-7 Medium Kulchas
Ingredients:
1 tsp Nigella Seeds
1 tsp Sesame Seeds
Little Ghee/Oil (Optional)

For Outer Covering/Dough:
1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 cup All Purpose Flour/Maida
2 tbsp Yogurt
¼ cup Warm Milk
½ tsp Cooking Soda
½ tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt
Warm Water to knead
1 tsp Oil

For Stuffing:
1 packed cup Tofu, crumbled
1 small Red Onion, very finely chopped
¾ tbsp Garlic, very finely chopped
2-3 Green Chillies, finely chopped
1 tbsp Mint Leaves, finely chopped
1 tbsp Coriander Leaves, finely chopped
½ tsp Jeera/Cumin Powder
¼ tsp Amchur/Dry Mango Powder (Optional)
1 tsp White Pepper Powder (Optional, use any spices/masala of your choice)
Salt to taste
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Tofu Stuffing

Method:
For Dough:
Sift wheat flour, maida, cooking soda, baking soda and salt.
Make a well in center and add yogurt and warm milk.
Knead the dough adding little water at a time to make soft pliable dough.
Apply oil on the surface of dough and keep it wrapped in cotton towel or cling film.
Let it rest for at least one hour.

For the Stuffing:
Squeeze as much of water as possible from tofu as the water content in tofu will make the kulcha go soggy.
Once it’s done, crumble the tofu with hands, and take about one packed cup of tofu crumble.
Take all the ingredients in a vessel and mix well. Remember to chop the vegetables very finely so that it becomes easier to stuff and roll.

To make Stuffed Kulcha:
Take dough and knead again for about minute and make big lime sized balls.
Dust it with wheat flour and roll it into thick poories of about 4 inch in diameter.
Place about tbsp of tofu mixture in center. Cover and seal the ends and roll again, dusting flour if necessary, into ½ cm thick roties using rolling pin.
Sprinkle little nigella seeds and sesame on top of roties and lightly press them using rolling pin.
Heat a griddle at high flame and lower it to low-medium flame.
Place Kulcha on griddle and cook on both the sides till it’s cooked and brown spots starts to appear on top. Apply little ghee/oil if desired.
Serve hot Tofu stuffed Kulchas immediately with any curry or your choice and enjoy.

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Tofu Stuffed Kulcha


Note:
Keep the stuffing as dry as possible. If it has too much of moisture/water content then it becomes difficult to roll them as the moisture will make the Kulchas soggy and they might tear while rolling oozing the stuffing.
Keep the center of Kulcha little thicker than the ends before stuffing as when you cover and seal the ends you will get even thickness at both the sides.
Resting the dough for at least an hour makes soft Kulchas.
Usually an egg is added when making the dough but I usually avoid adding it.

40 comments :

  1. U too into Tofu bandwagon?! Nice one.. loved the little conversation with him :)
    nice picture too Sia

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  2. The kulchas look excellent. Lots of kulcha recipes going around. Saw it on Nupur's blog too

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  3. Sup!! Oh my god you made imagine something here, gosh i was so tensed !! Nice touch to those wonderful kulchas!!! They look incredible!!

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  4. Hahaha..that was a funny one Sia :D. I love this idea of Tofu kulcha. Looks great

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  5. Sia, that looks tasty to the core and very filling too

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  6. omg Sia! that really looks delicious! and I loved your little writeup:) so engaging!!:D

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  7. It is convenient that tofu seamlessly replaces paneer in so many recipes. Very good idea, Sia.

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  8. Bollywood masala? I thought it was you talking to your hubby!;-)

    Kulchas stuffed with tofu is such a great idea, Sia. I know I am never going to make it though...too much work! :)

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  9. Love those kulchas...making me hungry!!

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  10. Sia, the kulcha looks delicious, I am not a big Tofu fan but stuffed in kulchas like that, I'd take it :)

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  11. I could not control my laughter when I learned that the conv was for Tofu. OMG..for a while I thot it was from some movie..Those picture perfect kulchas look very delicious Sia. I have a jasmine flower for you in my blog. ;)

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  12. hahaha very funny write up!
    and lovely bouncy kulchas! yumm

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  13. LOL!! loved the post! I amno tofu fan, but disguising itlike this can make me crave it too!

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  14. wow! ur kulcha's look so good, i make my paneer stuffed in this manner :)

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  15. Hey this is a new recipe must be tasting great!

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  16. ha ha ha..Loved the build-up of Mr. T and your conversation :)

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  17. :D loved the dialog between you and Mr.T... I was waiting for a steamy ending... :p

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  18. hi Sia!! i am new to this blog world and have been blog hopping since the last few days. i am in love with your blog,your effort is visible.will try your recipes and let you know.Keep up the good work.

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  19. Sia..you had me thinking a lot with your writeup...very creativea?..nice looking kulchas..

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  20. yummy... and my sides are still aching :-)

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  21. Sia
    Your creative writing skill is amazing. The tofu kulcha can evoke such CONVERSATIONS...great work..now i will look at each food ingredient to see what they can say ;)

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  22. That's good one Sups!! Great looking Kulchas and hearty too.
    You know you can send this Suganya "healthy eats", and click too "flour"!!
    Okay okay, I am leaving. Very busy today for me, trying to catch up with EVERYTHING!:D

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  23. @grihini, vimmi, shilpa, shankari, mansi D, suganya, sunita, ISG, ramya, nags, manasi, richa, smn, pragyan, raaga,
    thank you ladies:) tofu is a grea8 substitue for paneer and its less in calorie dept. we can't ask for more when we see our expanding waistline, isn't it? glad u girls like the idea and i hope u do give it a try sometime. even tofu-haters will not be able to distinguish it is actually a tofu filling:)

    @padmaja, tbc, lg, sig, valli, anamika,
    he he he... girls, i must say u have wild imaginations;) steamy ending han??? may be someother time ;)
    well, gd to know that at least the convo bet me and he kept u glued to the post;)

    @saswati,
    a warm welcome to my blog and food blogging world. and thank you for ur compliments. i will surely visit ur blog soon:)

    @ashakka,
    hey howdy lady? enu ashtu busy na? :) not sure if i can send it for WBB as i would certainly not eat this for breakfast;) i need to ask sug. mmm, for click? i have something else in my mind for that:) anyways, thanks for reminding me abt these two events. i need to cook and post soon:)

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  24. yes, crumbled tofu, when spiced and well concealed, becomes good.

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  25. Wow Supriya, this looks fantastic. Bookmarked for weekend breakfast. :)

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  26. Fantastic sia..interesting kulcha..
    Nice photos!! Looks delicious

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  27. hahaha :-) good one Sups! Kulcha looks delish!

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  28. Looks great , Sia...I have to try my hands at making kulchas soon...never tried it though its one of my fav :)

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  29. Hahaha...What a wonderful post. The kulcha looks fantastic.

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  30. I am not a tofu person but your kulcha's look soo good

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  31. Wonderful Kulchas...
    i love reading those bollywood kinda dialogues :)) .
    kulcha with tofu is indeed a nice idea :) thanks for sharing buddy .

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  32. Tofu Kulcha looks yummy. I used to buy kulchas. But this time I shall try to make them from your recipe. Thanks for sharing.

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  33. Sia...what an awesome recipe and your write up made me fall out of my chair with laughter hehe. You were sooo sweet to leave me such a cute comment on my blog. Are you Konkani as well? Most Mangloreans are...its an assumption on my part but I thought I would ask. Kho Kho players for life!! hehe

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  34. what are nigella seeds any hindi name~~~

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  35. @bee, mandira, vanamala,latha, mishy, mythreyee, sagari, pooja, aparna, uma,
    thank you ladies:)

    @anuZi,
    thanku anu. nope i am not a konkani although i come from m'lore. :)

    @rambhai,
    nigella seeds are called as kalonji in hindi.

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  36. can i get receipe of dal makhani with door dal..?

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  37. @Arifa Arshad, tofu is a soya bean curd and used in chinese cuisine. vegans usually use it in place of paneer. u'll find more details http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tofu

    and u can find the recipe for dal makhani here~ http://www.monsoonspice.com/2007/07/dal-makhani.htmland here ~ http://www.monsoonspice.com/2008/10/maa-di-dal-mother-of-all-dals.html

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