Every time we are in a North Indian restaurant the must order item from the menu is Naan. Soft and puffy this flat bread is the perfect way to scoop up the spicy curries or to wrap that hot juicy kabob . Making these the traditional way is an art. The bakers hand stretch the dough and paste it on the wall of the hot tandoor. Sixty seconds later in goes the iron poker to bring the piping hot naan out. Hot an puffy and brushed with generous amount of ghee (or not !) these are indeed a treat.
Tandoors have been in use for centuries and even millennia. These were not the run of the mill wooden stoves in the village homes, most were owned and operated by the village food vendors or part of the communal kitchens. Temperatures inside the tandoor reach very high , as high as 800 to 900 degree F. Cooking at these temperatures gives the bread its puffy texture and the characteristic light smokey flavor. One can get a very close approximation at home , but if you have a a tandoor or a pizza oven I urge you to use it.
Unlike the other popular flat breads of the region Naan is a leavened bread. Traditionally these were leavened by the ambient wild yeast or using a piece of the old dough. Wild yeast brings out complex flavors, but increases the leavening time. To get a taste of the depth of flavors the the wild yeast brings try my Sourdough Naan recipe. Modern recipes use the packaged active dry yeast thus drastically shortening the leavening period. The recipe today takes about 2 hours from start to finish.
Here are the detailed instructions for making Naan at home :
Warm 1/4 C water to just warm to touch (100˚–110˚F). Dissolve 1/2 tsp sugar in it and sprinkle the yeast on top. Set a side for 5 minutes an. It should froth up m if the yeast is alive and kicking. Take the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Stir well. Add the yogurt and and activated yeast mix to it. Slowly pour the water and knead well . The dough should be a little sticky. As you knead the dough becomes less sticky and softer. If after a few minutes of kneading the dough is still very tacky add a few tablespoons of flour. Knead for 10 minutes for a very smooth and pliable dough . Form into a ball . Transfer to an oiled bowl, turn the dough ball to coat all sides with oil . Cover and let rise till doubled – about 1 hr.
Punch down the dough. Divide it into 6 pieces and form into balls about the size of a large lemon. Set aside covered for 10 minutes.
Lightly oil the work surface . Place one dough ball on it and using the heel of your palm stretch the dough out to an oval / teardrop shape . The dough should not be sticky at this point , spread a little bit of oil in the palms to prevent sticking.
My favorite way to cook this is a combination of stove top and broiler. This is the quickest and most energy efficient way to do it at home . Heat a thick bottomed pan – like a cast iron griddle till it is smoking hot . Turn the broiler on and place a cookie sheet about 4 inches away from it . Place the shaped naan on the hot griddle and cook for 30 seconds. By this time bubbles start forming on top . Use a wide turner or a pizza peel to transfer the naan to the cookie sheet , without flipping . Let it cook for a minute or till the bubbles are fully formed and the tops begin to brown . Remove from the oven and brush with oil (optional) , and keep covered .
If you have a pizza stone, set the pizza stone in the lowest rack of the oven . Heat the oven set to the highest setting . Once the oven is preheated , keep it on for 20 minutes or so for the stone to absorb as much heat as possible. Place the shaped naan directly on top of the stone and cook for 2 to three minutes until it has puffed up and light brown spots appear on top .
These can be made the same way in the grill.
The picture above shows a garlic and cilantro naan . Place the topping on the shaped Naan and press down just before cooking it.
The recipe for Naan
Naan
Ingredients
- 3 1/3 C Unbleached All Purpose Flour or Maida (400g)
- 1/2 Tsp Sugar (3g)
- 2 Tsp Active Dry Yeast (5g or scant 1 packet)
- 1 Tsp Salt (6g)
- 4 Tbsp Yogurt (60g)
- 3/4 C + 2 Tbsp Water (200g)
- 1 Tbsp Clarified Butter or oil optional
Optional Toppings
- Minced Garlic
- Cilantro
Instructions
- Warm 60 gms of water (1/4 C ) and dissolve the sugar in it. The mix shuld be just warm to touch (100˚–110˚F).Sprinkle the yeast on top and set aside for 5 minutes . The yeast should froth up. If not discard and try with another batch of yeast.
- Take the flour and salt in large mixing bowl. Add yogurt and the yeast water and mix. Slowly add the remaining water and knead. The dough will start out sticky , but as you knead the flour absorbs the moisture. If the dough feels too wet and sticky after a few minutes of kneading add a couple more tablespoons of flour. Knead for 10 minutes to get a a very soft and pliable dough. If using the stand mixer , use the dough hook on low setting. Form into a ball.
- Pour a little oil into a bowl and place the dough in it. Turn to coat all sides of the dough with oil. Cover and set aside on a warm place to rise till doubled - about 1 hr.
- Punch down the dough and divide into 6 pieces . Roll each piece into a ball and let rest for 10 minutes.
- Lightly oil a rolling surface. Take one dough ball and place it on the rolling surface . Use the heel of the palms to press the dough and stretch it out into a teardrop shape. If using toppings spread it on top of the Naan and gently press in place. Follow any of the following methods to cook the Naan
Oven with Pizza Stone
- If you have a pizza stone in the oven , pre heat the oven to the highest setting. Keep heating once it has reached the desired temperature for at least 20 minutes for the stone to get heated as well .Use a pizza peel or a cookie sheet to slide the shaped naan to the hot stone . Bake for a couple minutes , until it blisters and begins to brown. Remove from the oven and brush with ghee.
Stove top and Broiler
- Heat a thick bottomed tawa, or cast iron pan on high heat. Turn on the broiler. Place a cookie sheet on a rack about 4 inches away from the broiler. Test the pan by sprinkling a couple drops of water on the pan. If the water sizzles and jumps out the pan is hot enough. Place the naan on the hot pan and cook for 30 seconds until bubbles appear on top . Transfer to the cookie sheet under the broiler and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the bubbles develop fully and the top begins to brown.
Oven without broiler and pizza stone
- Preheat the oven to the highest setting . Place the cookie sheet in the oven. Once the oven is hot enough , place the naan on the cookie sheet . Cook on one side for 1 to 2 minutes until it begins to puff up , flip and cook the other side.
Grill
- Follow the directions for the oven.
- Brush the naan with oil or clarified butter and keep covered using aluminum foil or wax paper till ready to serve . Serve warm.
Notes
Important: Nutrition Values are estimates. Actuals vary based on ingredients and serving size.
Naan is best served warm. The dough on the other hand stores well in the fridge or freezer. To make naan for dinner , the dough can be prepared in the morning and allowed to rise in the fridge. The excess dough can be frozen in an airtight freezer bag. When using frozen dough , allow it thaw in the fridge before shaping the naans.
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