Homemade East Indian Naan Bread Made Easy Recipes

GARLIC NAAN (FAST & EASY!)

Steps:

• In a large bowl, stir together the all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and kosher salt. Add the olive oil, milk, and Greek yogurt and stir until dough comes together. If it is dry, add a bit more milk; if it is very sticky, add a sprinkle more flour. Knead for about 30 seconds to a minute until all the flour is incorporated and a dough ball forms.
• Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Rest for 30 minutes at room temperature covered with a towel.
• Once the dough has rested, flatten it into a disc. Then cut it into 6 equal pieces. On a clean, lightly floured countertop, roll each dough into a thin teardrop shape, about 1/8 inch thick.
• Meanwhile, grate the garlic. In a small saucepan, heat the butter and the garlic over medium low heat. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the garlic fragrant is just starting to turn yellow (but not brown), then immediately remove from the heat.
• Heat a cast iron skillet*, griddle or large skillet over very high heat until it's blazing hot (make sure it's as hot as possible, or the first piece won't cook correctly). Add one of the pieces of dough and cook until the top has bubbles and the bottom is golden and very dark brown in spots (about 1 minute), then turn and cook another 30 seconds to 1 minute on the other side. Brush the naan with a bit of the garlic butter on both sides. Wrap it with a clean towel. Repeat with the remaining 5 naan, adding each to the towel afterwards (this will steam them and keep them warm and supple).
• Serve immediately with chopped cilantro. To store, place fully cooled naan in an airtight plastic bag and keep at room temperature for up to 3 days, or wrap in foil, place in a plastic bag or container and freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat refrigerated or frozen naan by wrapping in aluminum foil and baking in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes. For quick fix, you can reheat naan in the toaster (you may need to cut it in half to get it to fit).

EASY NAAN BREAD

Steps:

• Put the flour in a large bowl, then add the sugar, baking powder and 1½ tsp salt. Add the seeds, if you like. Lightly whisk to disperse the ingredients evenly throughout the flour.
• Add 1 tbsp of the melted butter, followed by the natural yogurt. Mix together with your hands. Once the yogurt and butter have been absorbed, gradually add 180-200ml water, 50ml at a time. Mix between additions, until it begins to come together into a dough. The water amount will depend on the consistency of the yogurt and butter - stop adding when you have a ball of dough.
• Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead thoroughly for 5 mins until smooth and elastic. Put in an oiled mixing bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to rest for at least 1 hr. The dough will not rise but it is important to let it rest as this helps to make the naans less chewy and more fluffy.
• If making the garlic butter, mix the garlic with the remaining 1 tbsp melted butter and the coriander. Set aside.
• Divide the dough into eight, 10 or 12 even-sized pieces, depending on how big you want the naans. Roll into round balls, then return to the bowl, covered with a tea towel.
• Roll one of the dough balls out on a lightly floured surface into a round, oval or teardrop shape - roll with a diagonal motion to get an oval. Flip the dough over and repeat on the other side.
• Heat a frying pan. Dry fry the dough over a medium high heat until it begins to puff up and the underside browns in places. Flip and repeat on the other side. Remove the cooked naan from the pan. Spoon a little of the garlic butter over the naan, if using. Sprinkle over some coriander, if you like. Cover with a tea towel while you repeat the process with the remaining balls of dough.

HOMEMADE EAST INDIAN NAAN BREAD (MADE EASY)

Steps:

• STIR one (1/4 ounce) package active dry yeast into warm water; LET sit for 10 minutes.
• MEASURE 2 cups all-purpose flour into a medium bowl; ADD 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon sugar and 1/8 teaspoon baking soda; MIX well; ADD 2 tablespoons oil and 2 1/2 tablespoons plain yogurt; MIX until crumbly.
• POUR the water and yeast mixture over flour; and make into soft dough; KNEAD the dough until smooth.
• COVER dough with a kitchen towel; KEEP in a warm place until dough doubles in volume, between 3 - 4 hours.
• SET oven rack in center position; PLACE a pizza stone in center of rack (NOTE: IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A PIZZA STONE, A CAST-IRON DUTCH OVEN OR GRIDDLE MAY BE USED); PREHEAT the oven to BAKE at 500°F , for at least twenty minutes until pizza stone is properly tempered; SET the BROILER to HIGH.
• LUBRICATE hands lightly with canola oil; KNEAD dough 2-3 minutes; DIVIDE dough into 6 equal portions.
• FLOUR a rolling board; ROLL each piece of dough on floured board with a rolling pin, into rounded shapes about 1/4-inch thick and no wider than 8 inches (they don't have to look perfect); RE-DUST board with flour as needed; REPEAT with remaining dough portions.
• WET hands lightly; TAKE Naan discs and flip them between your palms before placing them CAREFULLY onto hot pizza stone in oven without touching the stone (do not set more than two Naan at a time over stone); CLOSE oven door.
• BROIL-BAKE Naan on pizza stone in closed oven for 2-3 minutes (keep a close watch on timing); REMOVE baked Naan from stone with a spatula and/or tongs, wearing oven mitts; BASTE with suggested additions if desired (RE-TEMPER pizza stone for 3 minutes before continuing with your next batch).
• BASTE baked Naan with suggested BASTE; KEEP warm in lined bread basket until serving; SERVE with dipping sauce if desired and ENJOY!

NAAN

Steps:

• In a large glass, dissolve the dry yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar with 3/4 cup warm water (about 100 degrees F). Let it sit on your counter until it's frothy, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, sift the flour, salt, remaining 1 teaspoon of sugar and baking powder into a large, deep bowl.
• Once the yeast is frothy, add the yogurt and the olive oil into the glass, and stir to combine. Pour the yogurt mixture into the dry ingredients and add the kalonji and fennel seeds, if using, and gently mix the ingredients together with a fork. When the dough is about to come together, use your hands to mix. It will feel like there isn't enough flour at first, but keep going until it transforms into a soft, slightly sticky and pliable dough. As soon as it comes together, stop kneading. Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel and let it sit in a warm, draft-free place for 2 to 4 hours.
• When you're ready to roll, make sure you have two bowls on your counter: one with extra flour in it, and one with water. The dough will be extremely soft and sticky-this is good! Separate the dough into 6 equal portions and lightly roll each one in the bowl of extra flour to keep them from sticking to each other.
• Shape the naan. Using a rolling pin, roll each piece of dough into a teardrop shape, narrower at the top than at the bottom. It should be 8 to 9-inches long, 4-inches wide at its widest point and about 1/4-inch thick. Once you've formed the general shape, you can also pick it up by one end and wiggle it; the dough's own weight will stretch it out a little. Repeat this method with the rest of the dough. (If you're making the gluten-free version, you'll have better luck pressing the dough out with your fingertips, than rolling.)
• Warm a large cast-iron skillet over high heat until it's nearly smoking. Make sure you have a lid large enough to fit the skillet and have a bowl of melted butter at the ready.
• Dampen your hands in the bowl of water and pick up one of your naans, flip-flopping it from one hand to the other to lightly dampen it. Gently lay it in the skillet and set your timer for 1 minute. The dough should start to bubble.
• After about 1 minute, flip the naan. It should be blistered and somewhat blackened, don't worry - that's typical of traditional naan! Cover the skillet with the lid and cook 30 seconds to 1 minute more.
• Remove the naan from the skillet, brush with a bit of butter and sprinkle with a little coarse sea salt. Place the naan in a tea towel-lined dish. Repeat with the rest of the naans and serve.

NAAN

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes, until frothy. Stir in sugar, milk, egg, salt, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes on a lightly floured surface, or until smooth. Place dough in a well oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside to rise. Let it rise 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in volume.
• Punch down dough, and knead in garlic. Pinch off small handfuls of dough about the size of a golf ball. Roll into balls, and place on a tray. Cover with a towel, and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
• During the second rising, preheat grill to high heat.
• At grill side, roll one ball of dough out into a thin circle. Lightly oil grill. Place dough on grill, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until puffy and lightly browned. Brush uncooked side with butter, and turn over. Brush cooked side with butter, and cook until browned, another 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from grill, and continue the process until all the naan has been prepared.

EASY NAAN

Steps:

• Combine water, yeast, and sugar in a large bowl. Let stand until bubbly and frothy, about 10 minutes.
• Stir in milk, egg, salt, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth, 6 to 8 minutes. Place dough into a well oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside to rise until the dough has doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• Punch down dough and knead well. For garlic naan, knead in garlic at this point.
• Pinch off small handfuls of dough about the size of golf balls. Roll into balls, cover with a clean cloth, and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
• Set an oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.
• Roll out 2 balls of dough into elongated ovals. Place on an ungreased baking sheet and cook under the broiler until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Brush butter on both sides and flip. Continue broiling until the second side is firm and golden, 2 minutes more. Repeat with remaining dough.

SUPER EASY NAAN BREAD

Steps:

• Combine warm water, sugar, and yeast in a bowl. Let stand for 5 minutes until foamy.
• Add salt and flour. Mix thoroughly. Knead dough on a floured workspace about 20 times and form into a tight ball. Put dough in a well oiled bowl and cover with a damp towel.
• Put in a warm place to rise for 30-45 minutes. Dough won't rise much, but it doesn't need to.
• Turn dough out onto a floured workspace. Divide dough into 8 pieces and roll out with a rolling pin to about 1/8" thick.
• Grill naan pieces on a grill or electric griddle. In a pinch, a frying pan sprayed with some nonstick cooking spray will work. Grill for 1-2 minutes on each side.
• This recipe yields a very soft, chewey naan. Just the way I like it!