Soft, thin, and light Indian flatbreads made from whole wheat flour. They puff up beautifully on an open flame, making them a perfect, healthy accompaniment to any curry or dal.
Prep30 min
Cook15 min
Servings4
Serving size: 2 phulkas
262cal
8gprotein
44gcarbs
8gfat
Ingredients
2 cup Atta (Also known as whole wheat flour)
0.5 tsp Salt
1 cup Lukewarm Water (Adjust as needed to form a soft, pliable dough)
2 tbsp Ghee (For brushing on top, optional)
Instructions
1
Prepare the Dough
In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups of atta and salt.
Gradually add lukewarm water, a little at a time, mixing with your fingers until the flour comes together to form a dough.
Knead the dough on a clean, flat surface for 8-10 minutes, pressing and stretching it with the heel of your hand. The final dough should be soft, smooth, and elastic, not sticky.
2
Rest the Dough
Lightly grease the dough with a few drops of oil or ghee to prevent it from drying out.
A decadent Mughlai dessert where crisp, ghee-fried bread is soaked in fragrant sugar syrup and topped with creamy, thickened milk (rabri). Garnished with nuts, this royal treat is perfect for festive occasions.
A hearty and tangy stew from Hyderabad, where tender mutton is slow-cooked with chana dal and bottle gourd in a tamarind-infused gravy. It's a perfect one-pot meal, best enjoyed with fluffy bagara rice.
About Phulka, Shahi Tukda and Hyderabadi Mutton Dalcha
Protein-packed Dalcha with soft Phulkas & a sweet treat! A soul-satisfying, perfectly spiced comfort food.
This hyderabadi dish is perfect for dinner. With 1455.79 calories and 68.25g of protein per serving, it's a nutritious choice for your meal plan.
Cover the bowl with a damp cloth or a lid and let the dough rest for at least 20-30 minutes. This step is crucial for relaxing the gluten, which results in softer phulkas.
3
Divide and Roll
After resting, knead the dough again for one minute.
Divide the dough into 8 equal-sized portions and roll them into smooth balls.
Take one ball, flatten it between your palms, and dip it into the dry atta for dusting.
Place it on a rolling board (chakla) and roll it out evenly into a thin circle, about 6-7 inches in diameter. Use minimal dry flour for dusting to avoid making the phulka hard.
4
Cook on the Tawa (Griddle)
Heat a tawa over medium-high heat. To check if it's ready, sprinkle a pinch of dry flour; it should turn brown in a few seconds.
Place the rolled phulka on the hot tawa. Cook for about 15-20 seconds until you see small bubbles appear on the surface.
Flip the phulka using tongs and cook the other side for 30-40 seconds until light brown spots appear.
5
Puff on Open Flame
Using tongs, carefully lift the phulka off the tawa and place it directly on a high flame.
Within seconds, the phulka will puff up into a ball due to the trapped steam.
Immediately flip it to cook the other side on the flame for just a second or two. Be careful not to burn it.
6
Finish and Serve
Remove the puffed phulka from the flame. If desired, brush the top with a little ghee.
Place the finished phulka in a casserole or a container lined with a clean kitchen towel. This keeps them soft and warm.
Repeat the rolling, cooking, and puffing process for the remaining dough balls. Serve hot with your favorite dal or curry.
556cal
13gprotein
66gcarbs
28gfat
Ingredients
1 l full cream milk (Essential for rich and creamy rabri)
0.75 cup sugar (Divided: 1/4 cup for rabri and 1/2 cup for syrup)
1 pinch saffron strands (A generous pinch, about 15-20 strands)
0.5 tsp cardamom powder (Freshly ground is best)
4 slices white bread (Thick-cut, with crusts removed)
1 cup ghee (For shallow frying the bread)
0.5 cup water (For making the sugar syrup)
1 tsp rose water (Optional, for fragrance)
2 tbsp pistachios (Slivered, for garnish)
2 tbsp almonds (Slivered, for garnish)
1 tbsp dried rose petals (Optional, for garnish)
Instructions
1
Prepare the Rabri (Thickened Milk)
Pour 1 litre of full cream milk into a heavy-bottomed, wide pan. Bring it to a boil over medium heat.
Once boiling, reduce the heat to low-medium and let it simmer. Stir every few minutes to prevent the milk from scorching at the bottom.
As a layer of cream (malai) forms on the surface, use a spatula to gently push it to the sides of the pan. Continue this process repeatedly.
Simmer for about 45-50 minutes. The milk will reduce to approximately one-third of its original volume, becoming thick and layered with the collected cream.
Add 1/4 cup of sugar, saffron strands, and cardamom powder. Stir gently until the sugar dissolves completely.
Cook for another 2-3 minutes, then turn off the heat. The rabri will thicken more as it cools. Set aside.
2
Make the Sugar Syrup
In a separate saucepan, combine 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of water.
Heat over medium flame, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
Bring the syrup to a boil and let it simmer for 4-5 minutes. It should become slightly sticky, but no string consistency is required.
250 g bottle gourd (peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes)
2 pcs onion (medium, thinly sliced)
2 pcs tomato (medium, chopped)
2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
3 pcs green chilli (slit lengthwise)
30 g tamarind (seedless, lemon-sized ball)
1 tsp turmeric powder
1.5 tsp red chilli powder (adjust to taste)
2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp garam masala
1.5 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
4 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp ghee (for tempering)
1 tsp cumin seeds (for tempering)
0.5 tsp mustard seeds (for tempering)
2 pcs dry red chilli (broken in half, for tempering)
10 pcs curry leaves (for tempering)
4 cloves garlic (thinly sliced, for tempering)
3 tbsp coriander leaves (freshly chopped, for garnish)
6 cup water (divided for cooking)
Instructions
1
Preparation (Approx. 25 minutes)
Wash the chana dal and toor dal under running water until the water runs clear. Soak them together in 2 cups of water for at least 30 minutes.
Soak the tamarind in 1 cup of warm water for 20 minutes. Squeeze the pulp thoroughly to extract the juice, then strain it through a fine-mesh sieve. Discard the solids and set the tamarind pulp aside.
2
Cook the Dal and Bottle Gourd (Approx. 20 minutes)
In a pressure cooker, combine the soaked and drained dals, bottle gourd cubes, half of the sliced onions, slit green chilies, and 0.5 tsp of turmeric powder.
Add 3 cups of water. Secure the lid and pressure cook on medium-high heat for 4-5 whistles, or for about 15 minutes, until the dal is completely soft and mushy.
Allow the pressure to release naturally. Once safe to open, use a whisk or a wooden masher (dal ghotni) to lightly mash the dal mixture. Aim for a creamy consistency with some texture, not a completely smooth puree.
3
Cook the Mutton (Approx. 35 minutes)
While the dal cooks, heat vegetable oil in another large pressure cooker over medium-high heat. Add the remaining sliced onions and sauté for 6-8 minutes until they turn golden brown.
Add the ginger-garlic paste and cook for 1 minute until the raw smell disappears.
Turn off the heat and stir in the rose water (if using). Keep the syrup warm for dipping.
3
Fry the Bread Slices (Tukda)
Take the bread slices and cut them diagonally into triangles. You should have 8 triangles.
Heat ghee in a wide frying pan over medium heat. The ghee should be hot enough that a small piece of bread sizzles immediately, but it should not be smoking.
Carefully place 3-4 bread triangles in the pan, ensuring not to overcrowd it.
Fry for 2-3 minutes on each side, until they are a deep golden brown and uniformly crisp.
Remove the fried bread with a slotted spoon and place them on a wire rack to drain any excess ghee.
4
Assemble the Shahi Tukda
Take one fried bread triangle at a time and dip it into the warm sugar syrup.
Let it soak for about 10-15 seconds on each side. A quick dip is sufficient to absorb the sweetness without making it soggy.
Arrange the syrup-soaked bread pieces in a single layer on a serving platter or in a shallow dish.
Generously pour the prepared rabri over the bread, ensuring each piece is well-covered.
5
Garnish and Serve
Garnish the Shahi Tukda with slivered pistachios, almonds, and a sprinkle of dried rose petals.
For the best experience, serve immediately while the bread retains some crispness. Alternatively, you can chill it for 30-60 minutes for a softer, pudding-like texture.
Add the mutton pieces, 1 tsp salt, the remaining 0.5 tsp turmeric powder, and the red chili powder. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mutton is well-browned on all sides.
Stir in the chopped tomatoes and cook for 4-5 minutes until they soften and the oil begins to separate from the masala.
Pour in 2 cups of water, stir well, and secure the lid. Pressure cook for 6-7 whistles, or for about 20-25 minutes, until the mutton is tender and falls off the bone. Let the pressure release naturally.
4
Combine and Simmer (Approx. 15 minutes)
Open the cooker with the tender mutton. Carefully pour the cooked dal and bottle gourd mixture into the mutton.
Add the prepared tamarind pulp, coriander powder, and garam masala. Stir gently to combine everything.
Check for seasoning and add more salt if needed. Bring the dalcha to a gentle boil.
Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld beautifully. The gravy should thicken but remain pourable.
5
Prepare the Tempering (Tadka) (Approx. 5 minutes)
While the dalcha simmers, heat ghee in a small pan (tadka pan) over medium heat.
Add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Then add the cumin seeds, broken dry red chilies, sliced garlic, and curry leaves.
Sauté for about 45-60 seconds until the garlic turns light golden and the curry leaves are crisp. Be careful not to burn the spices.
6
Garnish and Serve
Pour the hot tempering over the simmering dalcha. You will hear a satisfying sizzle.
Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves.
Give it a final gentle stir, cover, and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. This allows the tempering flavors to infuse into the stew.
Serve hot with Bagara Rice, steamed basmati rice, or roti.
