Serves: 10
Total Calories: 111

2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup warm water (about 110°F)
3/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt, whisked until smooth
1 cup , fine-grain semolina
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 cup all-purpose flour in a medium bowl or a pie dish, for coating and dusting

1. For the dough, dissolve the yeast and sugar in warm water in a small bowl and set aside until frothy, about 5 minutes. Mix in the yogurt.

2. Place the semolina, flour, butter, and salt in a food processor and process until mixed. With the motor running, pour the yeast mixture into the work bowl in a thin stream and process until the flour gathers into a ball and the sides of the processor are clean. (If the dough seems too sticky, add some more flour through the feeder tube, or add some more yogurt if the dough is dry and hard).

3. Transfer to a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap or the lid of the bowl, and place in a warm draft-free spot until it doubles in volume, 3 to 4 hours. (This allows the yeast to ferment and multiply, causing the dough to rise.) If keeping for a longer period, refrigerate the dough.

4. Lightly grease 2 or 3 large baking trays. Preheat the oven to the lowest setting, about 10 minutes, then turn it off. Then, with lightly oiled clean hands, divide the dough equally into 10 to 12 balls and cover with foil to prevent drying. Working with each ball of dough separately, place in the bowl with the dry flour, flatten it with your fingertips, and coat well with the dry flour. Transfer to a cutting board or any other clean flat surface and, with a rolling pin, roll into 5- to 6-inch circle and place on the baking trays. (If the dough sticks to the rolling surface, dust with more flour.)

5. With a basting brush or your fingers, lightly baste the top surface of each bread with water. (This prevents them from drying out.) Cover with foil and place the trays in the turned-off oven to rise once more, about 1 hour.

6. Remove the baking trays and preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake until the kulcha breads are still white, but firm, about 10 minutes. They should not brown. Serve.

VARIATION: Like other Indian breads, kulchas are also made with various stuffings. All the Parantha Stuffings, Category Stuffed Griddle-Fried Flatbreads, can be used.

From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 10
Total Calories: 111
Calories from Fat: 20

More Recipes from the 1000 Indian Recipes Cookbook:
* Breads and Crepes
Baked Semolina Breads
Basic Deep-Fried Puffed Breads
Basic Griddle-Fried Breads
Basic Oven-Grilled Leavened Breads
Basic Rajasthani Rolls
Basic South Indian Rice and Bean Crepes
Basic Stuffed Griddle-Fried Breads
Basic Whole-Wheat Dough
Cauliflower Parantha Stuffing
Crispy Chickpea Flour Crepes
Daikon Radish Parantha Stuffing
Deep-Fried Bengali-Style Flour Breads
Deep-Fried Leavened Flour Breads
Deep-Fried Puffed Breads with Ajwain Seeds
Deep-Fried Puffed Breads with Fresh Spinach
Deep-Fried Puffed Breads with Mint (or Fenugreek)
Deep-Fried Stuffed Puffed Breads
Deep-Fried Sweet Saffron Puffed Breads
Flavored Deep-Fried Puffed Breads
Griddle-Cooked Flour and Potato Bread for Spicy Wraps
Griddle-Fried Chickpea Flour Breads
Griddle-Fried Flaky Onion Breads
Griddle-Fried Gujarati Fenugreek Breads
Griddle-Fried Layered Green Chile Pepper Breads
Griddle-Fried Layered Mint, Ajwain, and Black Pepper Breads
Griddle-Fried Leavened Breads
Griddle-Fried Legume Breads
Griddle-Fried Millet Breads
Griddle-Fried Mughlai Breads with Almonds and Poppy Seeds
Griddle-Fried Oat Breads with Ajwain Seeds
Griddle-Fried Opo Squash Breads
Griddle-Fried Sorghum Breads with Onions
Griddle-Fried Spinach and Red Bell Pepper Breads
Ground Lamb Parantha Stuffing
Multi-Flour Griddle Breads
My Healthy Griddle-Fried Mashed Potato Breads
Oven-Grilled Breads with Dried Herbs and Spices
Oven-Grilled Garlic and Turmeric Breads
Oven-Grilled Tofu Breads
Paneer Cheese Parantha Stuffing
Potato Parantha Stuffing
Potato Stuffed Baati Rolls
Pressed Rice Flakes with Peas and Potatoes
Punjabi Griddle-Fried White Corn Breads
Rama's Sweet Crepes
Rice Flour Pancakes with Carrots
Rolls with Oat Bran and Fresh Mint
Semolina Crepes
Semolina Pancakes with Tomatoes and Bell Peppers
Spicy Oven-Grilled Breads with Kalonji or Sesame Seeds
Stir-Fried Mushrooms and Red Chard Pilaf
Stuffed Mung Bean Pancake Rolls
Stuffed Pepper Jack Cheese Oven-Grilled Breads
Stuffed South Indian Crepes
Sweet Jaggery-Stuffed Paranthas
Traditional Lentil Pancackes
Whole-Wheat Griddle Breads
Yellow Mung Bean Pancakes