A no “naan”-sense way to make naan
You can make homemade naan with this simple recipe.
Naan’s origins trace back to ancient Persia, where it was cooked in tandoor ovens that were buried underground. The word “naan” itself is derived from the Persian term “nān,” meaning bread.
I first tasted naan one summer long ago at a food festival in New York City. It was from a food vendor, and it was wrapped around a delicious meat, maybe lamb and had lettuce, chopped tomatoes, onions and a white sauce.
I’m glad to have found a recipe online for it that is a little time consuming but simple to make.
You can cut it into quarters and serve with a yogurt dip, have it with your favorite soup or stew or simply eat it buy itself as a snack.
Naan
Things you may need:
a grilled pan, without it you won’t have those nice brown grill marks.
a food grade brush. Mine looks like a paintbrush and I use it to dip into melted butter to brush over the naan.
Prep time: about 1 hr 30min
Cook: 20min
Ready in: 3 hrs
serves: 6 to 12
Ingredients:
1 (0.25oz) package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup white sugar
3 Tablespoons of milk
1 egg beaten
2 teaspoon salt
4 1/2 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons minced garlic(optional)
1/4 cup butter, melted
Directions
Tip: Run your thermometer under water and adjust the heat until your thermometer reaches the desired temperature
In a measuring cup dissolve yeast in warm water(use a thermometer and be sure temperature is between 100 and 110 degrees, I like it around 105-108) and sugar and let stand about 10 minutes, until it starts to foam.
In a large bowl add the yeast combination and whisk in milk, egg and salt. Add flour and combine with a wooden spoon or your hands to form a soft dough. You may need to add more flour if it is wet, but don’t add too much or it will become hard to work with.
Roll out the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 6 to 8 minutes or until smooth.
Place dough in an oiled large bowl to prevent from sticking and cover with a damp cloth. Set aside and let rise for 1 hour.
The dough should double in size.
Lightly sprinkle top with flour, punch the dough and roll dough onto lightly floured surface.
Here if you prefer, is when you can add minced garlic or herbs. Knead dough and pinch off a handful of dough and roll to golf ball size and place on a sheet pan.
When done, cover with a cloth and let rise for 30minutes.
During the wait, you can preheat grill to moderate to high heat.
Roll 1 ball out into a thin circle, usually make 3 at a time. Brush butter onto heated grill and grill dough about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Brush uncooked side with butter before flipping over.
Cook until nicely browned and stack onto a cooling rack.
Storage:
You can freeze it in a freezer bag for 2 weeks. Place parchment paper in between so it doesn’t stick together. When you are ready to have a snack, it heats up well in a toaster. To microwave, heat for 10 seconds at a time till desired consistency.
Hope yours came out well and enjoy!