Amritsari Kulcha: How This Legendary Dish Came Into Being?

If there is a city potential enough of being called the gastronomic capital of the country, it is Amritsar. You cannot stay hungry in Amritsar for sure as it is a heaven for foodies. From small carts to fancy restaurants, there is one dish you are going to find everywhere. It is the Amritsari Kulcha. Crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, Amritsari Kulcha has been native to Amritsar for a long time.

While Kulcha is a common delight in other parts of North India too, Amritsari Kulcha is different. Kulcha is known to be a circular maida bread while the Amritsari Kulcha is a flatbread made with different stuffings like aloo, paneer, gobhi, etc, and cooked in tandoor. Served with a goood amount of butter, it is something you would remember for life.  

But how did this legendary dish came into being? As per some known legends, this wholesome meal could be traced back to Mughal times. Once, emperor Shah Jehan was presented with this stuffed kulcha by one of his khansamas. Shah Jehan loved this kulcha so much that it became his breakfast staple. Not only the emperor but his darbar members used to enjoy the dish to the fullest. In no time, the dish gained quite a popularity among the Mughals as well as Nizams. It received immense love in many Northern parts of India. Punjab was among the major administrative cities then and the magic of Amritsari Kulcha took no time to spread there. No wonder!

Well, not just in Amritsar, one can find some delicious kulchas in Pakistan too. Before the partition of India and Pakistan, Punjab was one of the biggest states and even covered Lahore and other regions of present Pakistan. Amritsar and Lahore are not far and thus, the eating cultures of both regions are quite similar. Interesting, isn’t it? 

Wanna know how to make this delicious delight at home??? Here you go!