Naan
Traditional, Indian flatbread baked in a tandoor (clay oven).
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (or 1 cup all-purpose and 1 cup wheat flour)
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ⅛ tsp baking soda
- 3 tbsp melted butter
- ½ cup warm milk
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ cup plain whole yogurt
- 1½ tsp sugar
For Topping
- 2 tbsp butter (or garlic oil—you can find it at grocery stores chopped cilantro (coriander leaves)1 teaspoon onion seeds (kalonji) or sesame seeds(optional))
- 2 tbsp chopped cilantro (coriander) leaves
- 1 tsp kalonji (onion seeds) or sesame seeds (optional)
Instructions
- Add the flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl.
- Mix the yogurt and sugar together in a separate bowl.
- Mix the flour mixture with the melted butter until it gets a mealy consistency.
- Pour in the yogurt-sugar mixture into the flour and mix together.
- Add the warm milk, a little at a time, kneading the dough as you go. Knead well until the dough is smooth, soft, and pliable. When you press the dough, it should dent easily. Cover the dough with a moist cloth and let it rest in a warm place for an hour.
- To make the naans, knead the dough again a couple of times. Divide the dough into 6 parts. Roll each ball smoothly. Keep covered until all the dough is used.
- Flatten and roll out on a floured board to a 5-8 'disc that is elongated in shape and about 1/6 inch in thickness. Naans are traditionally pear-shaped, but you can make them round if you prefer.
- Roll out all the dough balls. Use a floured baking tray to rest them on.
- Heat your griddle or heavy-bottomed pan. Moisten one side of the naan with a brush dipped in water or your finger.
- Flip the moistened side onto the hot griddle. Brush a little water on the top side and sprinkle with the nigella or sesame seeds and the chopped cilantro leaves. Press them down gently. Do this quickly. Cook till bubbles appear on the top of the naan(about a minute).
- If you have gas burners, turn one on, and with a pair of tongs, remove the naan and flip the undone side over the flames till cooked and brown spots appear. See notes.
- Put on to a serving tray and brush with garlic oil or butter.
- Serve with any of the following: Tandoori Chicken, Dal Makhani, Chicken Tikka Kebabs, Butter Chicken, or any meat tikkas or kebabs.
Notes
If your burners are other than gas, cook one side on the griddle as above. Place all the naans on a baking tray with the cooked side down. Turn your oven to broil and broil the uncooked side till brown spots appear, about a minute or so. Remove from oven and brush with garlic oil or butter.
You can use plain butter or ghee if you do not want to use garlic oil or garlic butter.