Caution! This Naan Bread Is Sinfully Delicious!
If you’re a fan of Naan, let me tell you how amazingly delicious this homemade Naan is. I think it’s easier than making pancakes and the taste is better than anything you can buy. Naan bread is easier to make than most yeast breads, if only because you don’t really have to knead it. It’s made with warm milk and yogurt, which gives the bread it’s distinctive soft, chewy texture you love about Naan Bread. It’s so versatile too. Serve it with anything from your favorite curry dish to using it as a base for flatbread pizza, or just brush with warm olive oil and garlic. Delish!
Where In The World?
Every culture has its bread. By the way, I love them all! I have to give credit to my cousin Linda for introducing me to Naan, many years ago. Much of my younger days, I stayed far away from spicy foods and although Naan Bread is far from spicy, it is a staple of Indian and middle eastern food, which as I am sure you know, can be very spicy. Once I ventured into more daring food adventures, Naan made it’s delicious appearance frequently. Here’s a link to the origins of Naan Bread and its close counterparts https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naan
Once you make the move into homemade Naan, you wont’ want the store bought version. By the way, you don’t need to make this in a traditional tandoor oven, because, well, I doubt you have one! It’s easily made right on a grill pan or large cast iron or heavy bottomed fry pan. Here’s a link to a great buy. Its affordable and versatile. It’s a grill pan on one side and a griddle on the other. https://amzn.to/2INOJzp
The Dough
Making the dough for Naan Bread is simple! You can even make the dough early in the day and fry it up right before serving. Or, make the whole thing early in the day and just warm it up before serving.
Into a small bowl, add 1/4 cup warm water and 1 tablespoon sugar with 1 package of active dry yeast. Mix with a fork and let it sit for about 10 minutes until it’s very foamy.
Into the bowl of your mixer with the hook/bread attachment, add 4 cups of all purpose-flour with 2 teaspoons of kosher salt. Let the hook mix the flour and the salt together. Next, add 3/4 cup warmed Greek yogurt (non-fat, low or whole fat will work with this recipe) and 1 cup of warm milk and all of the yeast mixture to the mixer and let the dough come together. It’s ready once the dough clings to the hook. If the dough is too wet, add a bit more flour, just a little at a time until it comes together. If it’s too dry, add just a small amount of water, a tablespoon at a time, until it clings.
Remove the the bowl and set it on a lightly floured surface. Knead a few times to form a ball. The dough should be very soft.
Into a large bowl, add about 1 tablespoon of oil and coat the entire bowl. Place the dough into the bowl and turn to dough ball around to coat in the oil. Top the bowl with a damp kitchen towel and set it to rise in a warm, draft free location. Let it rise at least 1 hour. It will double in size.
Garlic Oil
Chop then mince about 4-5 cloves of garlic. Into a small sauce pan, add 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil and the garlic. Heat on low about 5 minutes. Take off the heat and let the garlic flavor the oil while you prepare the bread.
Forming and Cooking the Naan Bread
Remove the bread from the bowl, onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead a few times, then cut the Naan into 8-12 even pieces. If your pan is big enough, 8 pieces is a nice size for this bread. Roll each piece into a ball.
Then roll each piece with a rolling pin to about 1/4 inch thick and anywhere from 6-8 inches long.
Heat the grill pan or other type pan you are using. It should be very hot.
Brush one side of the Naan Bread with the garlic oil then place the oiled side down on the hot pan. The Naan Bread will bubble up quickly. Oil the top side.
Let it cook about 2 minutes, then flip over and cook 1 minute on the other side, until brown.
Remove from the pan and stack them on top of each other as you repeat until all the bread is cooked.
Serve warm with extra garlic oil for dipping. Garnish with freshly chopped herbs! Enjoy
Pizza Naan
Pizza with Naan Bread is delicious! Just set the Naan on a baking sheet and top with your favorite pizza toppings.
Set in a preheated 450° degree oven and bake for 10-15 minutes. Enjoy!
Naan Bread with Garlic Oil
Notes
To make Naan Pizza
Preheat oven 450 degrees
Once Naan is cooked, top with your favorite pizza toppings, then bake on a parchment covered baking sheet for 15 minutes.
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon sugar or honey
- 1 cup warm milk
- 3/4 cup warm Greek yogurt (whole, low or non-fat)
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
Optional 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried red chili flakes
Garnish: Chopped herbs
Instructions
For the Dough
- Into a small bowl, add 1/4 cup warm water and 1 tablespoon sugar with 1 package of active dry yeast.
- Mix with a fork and let it sit for about 10 minutes until it's very foamy.
- Into the bowl of your mixer with the hook/bread attachment, add 4 cups of all purpose-flour with 2 teaspoons of kosher salt.
- Let the hook mix the flour and the salt together.
- Add 3/4 cup warmed Greek yogurt (non-fat, low or whole fat will work with this recipe) and 1 cup of warm milk and all of the yeast mixture to the mixer and let the dough come together (Note, It's ready once the dough clings to the hook. If the dough is too wet, add a bit more flour, just a little at a time until it comes together. If it's too dry, add just a small amount of water, a tablespoon at a time, until it clings.
- Remove the the bowl and set it on a lightly floured surface. Knead a few times to form a ball. The dough should be very soft.
- Into a large bowl, add about 1 tablespoon of oil and coat the entire bowl.
- Place the dough into the bowl and turn to dough ball around to coat in the oil.
- Top the bowl with a damp kitchen towel and set it to rise in a warm, draft free location.
- Let it rise at least 1 hour. It will double in size.
For the Garlic Oil
- Chop then mince about 4-5 cloves of garlic.
- Into a small sauce pan, add 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil and the garlic. Add the chili flakes if using.
- Heat on low about 5 minutes.
- Take off the heat and let the garlic flavor the oil while you prepare the bread.
Forming and Cooking the Naan Bread
- After rising, remove the bread from the bowl, onto a lightly floured work surface.
- Knead a few times, then cut the Naan into 8-12 even pieces.
- (Note: If your pan is big enough, 8 pieces is a nice size for this bread.)
- Roll each piece into a ball. Then roll each piece with a rolling pin to about 1/4 inch thick and anywhere from 6-8 inches long.
- Heat the grill pan or other type pan you are using. It should be very hot.
- Brush one side of the Naan Bread with the garlic oil then place the oiled side down on the hot pan. The Naan will bubble up quickly as it cooks.
- Oil the top side.
- Let it cook about 2 minutes, then flip over and cook 1 minute on the other side.
- Remove from the pan and stack them on top of each other as you repeat until all the bread is cooked.
Serve warm with extra garlic oil for dipping. Garnish with freshly chopped herbs! Enjoy
Karen Harris https://www.bittersaltysoursweet.com
