If you ever catch me at an Indian buffet, you will notice that I will pile my plate with naan. I absolutely love my bread carbs, and naan is no exception.
Seems silly to do this since there’s a plethora of curries, and stews to eat, but I think the soft and fluffy bread that soaks up all of that is what makes a great supporting character.
WHAT IS NAAN?
Naan is a yeasted flatbread that is commonly found in Western and Southern Asia. It’s traditionally cooked in a tandoor.
Naan is similar to pita bread, and is served hot with brushed melted butter on top prior to serving.
It is served as an accompaniment to stews and curries, or used to scoop foods.
HOW TO MAKE NAAN AT HOME
It starts off with a simple dough. We’ll mix the dough in a mixer, like with any bread.
The dough comes together very easily. It is a moist dough, so keep extra flour on hand for dusting and for rolling out the naan.
After the dough rises, we’ll divide it into 8 balls, each approximately the same size.
Then, roll out each piece of dough t (traditionally into a teardrop shape), or an oval is fine.
TIP: Because it can get a little sticky, I like to place the rolled out naan onto a piece of parchment. That way, when you transfer it to the frying pan, you won’t have any sticking issues.
Next, preheat a cast iron pan over med-high heat and then place the dough in. Cook for 1-2 minutes, and flip.
Brush the naan with melted butter and garnish with cilantro.
MY MUST-HAVE INGREDIENT
My secret ingredient is yogurt. I’ve tried making naan without it in the past and it just doesn’t taste same. The yogurt lends a little acidity and helps the dough stay soft. It’s the key to keeping the naan soft and pliable.
HOW TO KEEP NAAN SOFT
This homemade naan is best served hot and fresh. However, if that’s not feasible — after cooking, keep it covered and wrapped in a clean linen. That helps it from drying out.
When ready to serve, drape a damp paper towel over top of the naan and pop it in the microwave for 20 seconds, to warm up.
VERSATILE AND DELICIOUS
I love the versatility of bread, and naan is no exception. Enjoy the warm, soft and puffy naan as is, with curries, stews, (aloo gobi, butter chicken, etc) or even use it as a wrap (mmmm butter chicken wrap, anyone)?
What is your favourite type of bread? Try the soft and fluffy naan recipe out and tag me on Instagram @siftandsimmer or leave me a comment below!
Soft & Fluffy Naan
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ C all-purpose flour + extra for dusting
- ½ C warm water
- 1 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- ½ C Greek yogurt the thick type
- 1 T avocado oil
- ½ tsp sea salt + extra for sprinkling
- 1 T salted butter melted
Instructions
- In a stand mixer bowl, add all the ingredients together and knead for about 10 minutes on low speed until the dough comes together and is shiny and smooth.
- Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and let it rest in a warm area to double in size.
- Dust the work surface with flour and divide the dough into 8 pieces. Use a rolling pin to flatten to a circle of about about ⅛" inch thickness or tear-drop shape, and set onto a large piece of parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Heat up a dry frying pan or cast iron skillet over high heat.
- Place the dough onto the skillet/fry pan and cover with a lid. Cook for 2 minutes, and use a pair of tongs to flip and cook for another minute.
- Remove and place into a clean linen. Brush the top of the naan with salted butter using a pastry brush and garnish with extra sea salt and cilantro if desired. Keep warm.
- Serve with rice, curries, and stews.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Rasa Malaysia
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