Naan (Indian Flatbread)

Submitted by threeovens

"Indian flatbread, or na'an, is traditionally cooked in tandoors, a clay cooking vessel that acts partly like an oven and partly like a barbeque pit to produce this unique bread. You can still approximate the texture and flavor of it using a grill or the broiler of your oven!"

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photo by Jostlori

Ready In:: 3hrs
Ingredients:: 10
Yields:: 8 pieces
Serves:: 8

ingredients

2 ¹⁄₂ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 envelope)
2 tablespoons sugar
4 ¹⁄₂ - 5 cups all-purpose flour, more for dusting and rolling
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons Greek yogurt, plain
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, more for the bowl
3 tablespoons ghee (Indian-style clarified butter) or 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

directions

In a small bowl, combine yeast, sugar, and 1/4 cup warm (110 to 115 degrees F) water; let stand until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.
Into the bowl of your food processor, place 4 1/2 cups flour, salt, and baking powder; fit with the dough blade (or use a stand mixer with the dough hook) and mix to combine.
Add in the yeast mixture, milk, yogurt, egg, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, and 3/4 cups warm water and knead until smooth and elastic (2 to 3 minutes - food processor; 5 to 8 minutes - mixer; 8 to 10 minutes - by hand); dough should be soft, but not too sticky, so add flour as needed.
Lightly oil a large bowl, add dough, turning to coat, then cover bowl with plastic wrap, then a clean kitchen towel; let dough rise, in a warm place, until doubled, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Punch dough down and divide into 8 equal pieces, which you will roll into a ball and place on a lightly floured baking sheet; cover with a damp kitchen towel, and let rise until doubled, about 40 to 60 minutes more.
If using a tandoor, heat it to 450 degrees F (if using your oven, place a pizza stone on bottom rack and heat to 450; or the grill should be st for direct heating at medium-high heat).
On a lightly floured work surface, roll each dough ball into a disk about 5 inches in diameter; roll and stretch one end to form a teardrop shape.
If using a tandoor, drape a piece of dough over the round cloth gadhi, then press bread onto the hot clay wall; cook until the top puffs, gets blishtered and browned, 1 to 2 minutes; gently pry off clay wall and spread with ghee.
If using the oven, turn on the broiler, lay 1 or 2 pieces of dough on the pizza stone, and cook until the bottoms are browned and the tops blister and puff and are lightly toasted, 2 to 4 minutes; remove from oven and spread with ghee.
If using the grill, oil the grate lightly, then lightly brush the dough with butter, place buttered side on grill and cook until the bottom is browned and the top is puffed 1 to 2 minutes; lightly butter the top of the dough, then flip and grill the other side until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes.

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Reviews

Finally! This is the first recipe I've tried that met my expectations. I fried these on a dry, cast-iron skillet on medium heat - just flipped them over after bubbles formed, and they came out beautifully. Next time I'll make a double recipe, roll them all out and layer the extra pieces between wax paper and seal into a bag for the freezer - anything to save time while prepping for the whole family. We didn't bother with the ghee since we were using ours for sopping up curry sauce. Hubby and kids loved them too. Thanks for posting this recipe!

kimarman73
These were so good! I'm not really handy with the rolling pin, so I love the fact that these don't have to have a perfect shape! Used my handly little pastry roller from Pampered Chef and finished them off by hand, then grilled them on the stove. YUM! Like Bonnie, I didn't have time to make ghee, so I used melted butter with finely minced garlic. ZWT8 Om Nom Nommers!

Jostlori
I had so much fun making this bread, I did cut the recipe in half for me and DH but that didn't change that it was GREAT. Not sure if I got the right shape, but don't think that matters and didn't have any specail oven so just used the broiler method, and that did not seem to be a problem. It was so good. They puffed up almost like a pita bread, browned quickly and in just minutes we had hot Naan bread - didn't have ghee, so used the unsalted butter. We'll be having this often from now on. Made for ZWT8 the Diners, Winers and Chives.

Bonnie G #2

RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

LucyS-D

Brentwood, 72

We may live without poetry, music and art;   We may live without conscience and live without heart; We may live without friends; we may live without books, But civilized man cannot live without cooks.   He may live without books -- what is knowledge but grieving? He may live without hope-- what is hope but deceiving? He may live without love -- what is passion but pining? But where is the man that can live without dining? -- Owen Meredith     I'm an all-American original, having lived in Hawaii, New York, Texas, South Carolina, and Miami.  I also served 7 years in the US Army.  My husband is from Bogota, Colombia and has also lived in the former Soviet Union.  But now we are both in NY.   Tomasi enjoyes a bath! <a href=http://s845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/luseaann/?action=view&current=tomas.jpg target=_blank><img src=http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/luseaann/tomas.jpg border=0 alt=Photobucket /></a>   Some of my recipes: <object width=480 height=360 data=http://w845.photobucket.com/pbwidget.swf?pbwurl=http://w845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/luseaann/12cdcf0a.pbw type=application/x-shockwave-flash> <param name=data value=http://w845.photobucket.com/pbwidget.swf?pbwurl=http://w845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/luseaann/12cdcf0a.pbw /> <param name=src value=http://w845.photobucket.com/pbwidget.swf?pbwurl=http://w845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/luseaann/12cdcf0a.pbw /> <param name=wmode value=transparent /> </object> <a href=http://photobucket.com/slideshows target=_blank><img src=http://pic.photobucket.com/slideshows/btn.gif alt=/ /></a><a href=http://s845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/luseaann/?action=view?t=12cdcf0a.pbw target=_blank><img src=http://pic.photobucket.com/slideshows/btn_viewallimages.gif alt=/ /></a>     I also have the genealogy bug!  I've been tracing my roots for at least 10 years.  One branch came to America just after the Mayflower in the early 1600s.  Others came in the early 1700s, late 1890s.  So, my American roots run pretty deep and I am deeply patriotic.  Just wish someone had thought to same me some land!

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