Best Naan Bread Recipe

Naan Is A Leavened Flatbread, And The Recipe Is Easy, No Yeast Naan Made Using Iron Tawa. Ingredients Used In The Recipe Imparts distinct tastes to the naan and yields a softer dough ( Gives The Dough Its Lift Just Like Yeast Would Do). As A Result Naan Is Soft , Puffy , Warm And Melts Away In Your Mouth. Recipe Shows Two Ways To Make The Naan. It is typically, served hot and brushed with some ghee or butter.

Traditionally How Naan Is Made

They are baked inside a very hot clay tandoor oven, with charcoal or wood fire. The naan bread are stuck to the inside of the oven and baked until it is fully cooked ( cooked naan easily peels away from the oven). And are generally flavored with butter or ghee melted on them. Nigella seeds are also commonly added to naan.

This recipe is one of the best ‘no yeast’ naan recipe you can find on the internet. Yogurt which contains acid and fats (like in a whole milk yogurt) inhibits gluten development, which helps to keep breads more tender. Baking soda neutralizes some of the yogurt’s acidity, helping the Naan to brown and adds some leavening, Mixing the dough by hand keeps the naan bread light and soft.

My family, totally likes my naan , when ever I prepare some spicy curry like Butter Chicken , Gongura Chicken  They prefer to eat it with Naan bread . I generally prepare the dough around noon time , so there will be enough resting time for the dough to rise. And naan is ready to make for the dinner. Sometimes my kids eat them as it is , even without any curry, it is warm ,soft and so scrumptious.

Different Ways To Make And Use The Naan Bread

Naan can be stuffed with fillings like dry nuts, lentils and spices which can be added to the dough. Prepared Naan bread can also be covered with, or served as a wrap for, various toppings like meat, vegetables, or cheeses. It can also be dipped or scooped into dals or with any curries too.

Naan dough can also be used to make Naan pizza , where naan is used as the crust instead of the traditional pizza dough. Add your favorite topping and make your own pizza.

Why Sifting The Dry Ingredients Is Important?

When using baking soda in a recipe, make sure to sift with the other dry ingredients before adding to the wet ingredients, to ensure uniformity, Sifting also aerates the flour and makes it easier to incorporate with the dough.

Recommend to sift the dry ingredients for at-least two to three times. This will help the dough to rise.

Use Iron Tawa For Making The Naan

After rolling the dough , you will have to smear water on one side of the naan (see below for instructions) and place the wet side on the tawa , when iron tawa is used, it helps the dough to stick well and cook the naan perfectly.

Note – Do not use non stick tawa, dough will not stick to the pan.

Naan Can Be Made Two Ways

First way – Naan can be made this way , ONLY with Iron Tawa ( Non stick pan will not work). Prepare the dough , make into small equal size balls , roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Meanwhile, heat the iron tawa in medium-high flame . Before putting the rolled dough on the hot tawa, smear water fully to one side of the rolled dough ( dip water using a brush or by hand and apply on the rolled dough). place the wet side on the hot pan ,and wait for about 30 seconds to one minute, after bubbles start to form . (see below picture how to make it).

Turn the entire tawa ( naan will stick to the Iron Tawa and will not peel away), and show the puffed side of the naan directly to the flame ( not too close to the flame , slightly above ) . Let the naan and puffed up bubbles get slightly browned from the flame .

Then turn the pan and remove the naan from the tawa. You will get a perfectly soft , puffy , with browned bubble top Naan bread , just like they serve you in the Indian restaurants. This method of making the naan, you may not get it on the first attempt , but try couple of time to get the hang of it.

Another way is to make the naan , which is more like the usual way of making a roti , or a tortilla on the tawa, it is explained in the recipe instructions below.

Storing Instructions

The dough can be refrigerated for up-to two days in a a clean air tight container , preferably glass. Because yogurt is used to make the dough,  I prefer to use the dough the same day and make the naans.

Refrigerate the prepared Naan in a zip lock or a air tight box, it stays good for three to four days. when heating the refrigerated naan , place the naan in a plate and cover with damp cloth or kitchen paper towel and then microwave for 15 to 30 seconds ( it will prevent the naan from getting chewy).

Naan keeps good for about a month when frozen.

Other Bread Recipe , It is explained with complete step by step pictures , check it out!

• Homemade Flour Tortillas Recipe

Step By Step Pictures Of How To Make The Naan

Measure the Ingredients and keep it ready – All purpose flour , baking soda , salt , yogurt and canola oil ( mix only 100 grams into the dough and reserve 25 grams to coat the bowl and apply oil over the dough at the end).

Sift Dry Ingredients

Place the flour into the sifter / fine-meshed strainer and hold the sifter over the mixing bowl. Place all of the dry ingredients – All purpose flour, salt and baking soda into the sifter at once and sift as normal. Repeat the step and sift at-least two to three times ( sifting the flour helps to remove any small lumps and to distribute them better).

Make The Dough

To the sifted dry ingredient, add only 100 grams ( 1/2 cup) of oil and mix roughly with flour using your hands ,

lastly add the yogurt to the flour and give the dough a good mix with your hands; if most of it sticks together (dough starts to come together), then you can stop ( make sure any dry bits at the bottom of the bowl is incorporate ). Note – dough will be a loose dough and not like a usual roti / chappati dough).

Now grease a large bowl with one tablespoon oil ( the dough will rise three times its original size, so make sure to use a big bowl ) and then place the prepared dough into the bowl and smear one tablespoon of oil on the top of the dough.

Cover the bowl with the clear wrap only ( do not use a damp cloth to cover it) . Leave the dough to rise in a warm area ( prefer to leave it inside the oven with the lights on ). Let the dough rest, for at-least three to four hours.

Make The Naan

You will notice the dough has risen so well, just punch down the dough.

Flour a clean surface , and scrape the dough out of the bowl , make into small equal size balls ( make sure to sprinkle enough flour on the dough and your hands, before you pull out a small portion to make balls or use a dough scraper and cut dough into small portion ).

Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness ( dough is sticky, so sprinkle enough flour to the surface while you roll ). Preheat a tawa / griddle to medium high heat ( heavy bottom or Iron tawa recommended)(do not use non stick) . Before putting the rolled dough on the pan, smear water, fully to one side of the rolled dough( dip water using a brush or by hand and apply on the rolled dough). Put the wet side onto the hot pan ( it will stick to the pan and gives a perfect browning on the bottom of the naan ) and flip after about 30 seconds to one minute after bubbles start to form.

Flip to the other side and cook until it is golden brown, about a minute. Serve plain Naan or Brush with garlic butter and garnish with chopped cilantro.