Cumin Nan Recipes

CUMIN NAN

Steps:

• To make the dough, combine all the dough ingredients except the water in a food processor and process for 30 seconds.
• (or whiz in a blender.) With the machine running, gradually add the water in a thin stream through the feeder tube.
• Pulse on and off until the dough forms a soft ball.
• Transfer the dough to a floured board.
• Knead for 5 minutes by hand, sprinkling with flour as needed to prevent sticking.
• The dough should be very soft and pliable.
• Lightly flour a plastic bag.
• Place the dough in the bag, seal it, and let it sit 15 to 20 minutes in a warm, dark place.
• Prepare your grill.
• Keep it covered to build an intense heat.
• Combine the glaze ingredients and reserve.
• Remove the dough from the bag and cut it into 6 equal pieces.
• On a floured board, roll each piece into a circle as thin as a flour tortilla and about 8 inches in diameter.
• (The circle need not be perfect, and a few holes are just fine).
• As each piece is rolled, brush it lightly with the glaze and place it glazed-side down onto the grill.
• When all of the dough has been placed on the grill, cover the grill and bake for 1 1/2-5 minutes, depending on heat, then brush the tops with the glaze, flip, and brown the other side.
• There should be bubbles and brown patches on both sides when the bread is done.
• Enjoy!

UIGHUR NAN WITH CUMIN AND ONION

Steps:

• Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water in a large bowl. Stir to dissolve. Stir in 3 cups flour, a cup at a time. Stir the dough 100 times in the same direction, about 1 minute, to develop the gluten. Add 2 teaspoons salt, then continue adding flour until the dough is too stiff to stir. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes, adding more flour if necessary to prevent sticking.
• Clean and lightly oil the bread bowl. Add the dough, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled in volume, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Position a rack in the lower third of your oven and arrange quarry tiles, if you have them, on the rack, leaving a 1-inch gap between the tiles and the oven walls. If you have no quarry tiles, place 1 large or 2 small baking sheets on the rack to preheat. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
• Punch the dough down and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 6 pieces. Using lightly floured hands, flatten each piece into a 4to 5-inch round. Cover the rounds with a dry cloth. Keeping the remaining pieces covered as you work, roll each dough round out on a lightly floured surface into a 10-inch round. The dough may spring back as you roll; it's best to work on 2 or 3 dough rounds at a time, alternating between them, to give the gluten time to stretch before you resume rolling. Then cover the large rounds with plastic wrap and let rise for 10 minutes.
• Working with 2 breads at a time, using a bread stamp or a fork, stamp the center portion of each bread; work from the center out until the dough is thoroughly pricked and flattened, leaving a 1 1/2- to 2-inch rim all around. Sprinkle a scant teaspoon of scallions, a generous pinch of cumin seed and a generous pinch of salt over the center of each bread, then dip your fingers in water and sprinkle the centers of the breads.
• Slide each round onto a baker's peel or flour-dusted baking sheet and slide off onto the quarry tiles or preheated baking sheet. Bake until the tops of the breads begin to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool for 5 minutes, then wrap in a cloth to keep soft and warm. Repeat with the remaining dough, scallions, cumin and salt. Serve warm.

CUMIN NAAN WITH GRILLED TOMATO CHUTNEY

Steps:

• Mix together the yeast and 1/4 cup of the warm water in a large bowl until the yeast is dissolved.
• Mix together the yogurt, cumin and remaining 1/2 cup water in a medium bowl and add to the yeast mixture, stirring until well blended. Add the bread flour and stir vigorously for 2 minutes. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature until bubbly, about 30 minutes.
• Stir in the oil, sugar and salt and enough of the whole-wheat flour to make a kneadable dough. Knead on a clean work surface, using additional flour to keep the dough from sticking, until the dough is smooth and elastic, between 5 and 10 minutes.
• Wash out the large bowl and coat it lightly with oil. Turn the dough in the oiled bowl to coat with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. While the dough is rising, prepare the chutney.
• Light a grill for direct medium-high heat, about 425ºF.
• Divide the dough into four pieces. Roll each into a ball and flatten into a 1/2-inch-thick disk. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rest for 5 minutes. Lightly flour a clean work surface and roll each disk of dough into an oval about 9 inches long and 1/4 inch thick. Coat each bread with oil and stack on a plate to transport to the grill--a spray bottle works best. Careful not to deflate excessively.
• Brush the grill grate and coat with oil. Put the dough on the grill so the disks are evenly spaced, cover and cook until grill-marked and charred in spots on the bottom and puffed on top, about 2 minutes. Turn with tongs and cook on the other side until browned and spotted with char, about 1 minute. Remove to a plate, brush with butter and sprinkle with the cracked and toasted cumin. Serve with the chutney.
• To Make the Grilled Tomato Chutney: Light a grill for direct medium-high heat, about 400°F.
• Soak two or three bamboo skewers in water for at least 30 minutes. Thread the garlic cloves, ginger slices and onion slices on the skewers and coat with a thin film of oil. Brush the grill grate and coat with oil.
• Grill the skewers until the vegetables are lightly charred on all sides, about 5 minutes total.
• At the same time, place the tomato and jalapeno chiles over the fire and char on all sides, turning every 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the stems, and discard the chile seeds if you want the chutney to be milder.
• Chop the garlic, ginger, onion, tomatoes, and chiles finely and combine with the cumin, salt, black pepper, cilantro, and mint. Store in the refrigerator in a tightly closed container for up to 2 weeks. Makes 1 1/4 cups.
• NOTE: "TOASTING AND CRACKING WHOLE SPICES" You will need to toast about 2 tablespoons cumin seeds to prepare the ground toasted cumin and cracked cumin for the bread and chutney. Toast the seeds (or any whole spice) by heating a small, heavy skillet (such as cast-iron) until very hot. Add the seeds, remove from the heat, and stir until the seeds are aromatic and lightly colored, about 1 minute. You can use the same heavy pan (after it has cooled down) to crack or crush the seeds by carefully pounding them on a solid flat surface (like a butcher block) with the bottom of the pan.