After experimenting with several, this naan (Indian flatbread) recipe comes out on top! It’s not only satisfying and delicious, but it’s simple and relatively quick to make. A small amount of Greek yogurt makes all the difference in the dough which helps to give it that soft, chewy texture. Hot off the griddle it’s hard to beat! Like most breads, naan makes a great accompaniment to all sorts of dishes, but I love it best with fresh salads, spicy dals, steaming rice, creamy dips and hummus. Some in my family love it best slathered with PB&J or drizzled with honey and butter for dessert. For this reason I often double the recipe and freeze any leftovers that might not get eaten for breakfast the next morning. Originally adapted from Baking Illustrated, this recipe was passed on to me by my friend, mentor, and former employer, Nancy. Many thanks to her for some awesome meals! I should add this naan pairs nicely with my recipes for https://thorncreekcookery.com/kachumber-salad-with-avocado-cream/ and https://thorncreekcookery.com/spicy-red-lentil-dal-with-sweet-potato-and-kale/
Ingredients / Makes 8 naan 6-7 inch each
2 1/2 cups bread flour
1/4 cup whole wheat or rye flour
2 1/4 (1 package) teaspoons instant dry yeast
2 teaspoons sugar or honey
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup Greek style yogurt
1 tablespoon olive oil
Method
Step 1) In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook add flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Stir for 30 seconds to mix ingredients.
Step 2) In a separate bowl or large measuring cup whisk together water, yogurt, oil, and honey (if using). Warm in microwave (30-40 seconds) or until warm to touch, but not hot. You can also add the cold yogurt to a cup of hot water which will cool it down or just activate the yeast separately in the one cup of warm water, whichever is easiest for you.
Step 3) Slowly add water/ yogurt mixture to flour until combined.
Step 4) Continue kneading dough on low setting for another 6-8 minutes adding small amounts of flour as needed until dough clears the sides of the bowl, but is still sticking to the bottom. At this point the dough should feel soft, smooth, but slightly tacky.
Step 5) Remove dough from bowl and knead briefly on lightly dusted counter to form ball. Place dough in a lightly greased large bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise until double in size about 45-50 minutes.
Step 6) After dough has risen, turn out onto floured counter or cutting board. Knead once or twice. Cut dough in half and then cut each half into fourths and shape into 8 balls. Press each down and roll out about 5-6 inches across on a well floured surface. Sprinkle with flour, cover with towel, and let rise another 15-20 minutes.
Step 7) On medium high heat, preheat skillet and brush with with vegetable oil. Take a piece of the risen dough and stretch lightly in all directions to form a 6-7 inch round (dough will appear very thin in places). Place in hot skillet and cook 45 seconds to 1 1/2 minutes (depending on skillet temperature) until dough appears puffy and begins to turn golden brown on bottom. Keep a close eye as it cooks (fries) very quickly. Turn heat down slightly if pan begins to smoke too much.
Step 8) Brush top of naan lightly with oil before turning and cooking an additional 45 seconds to 1 1/2 minutes until golden brown.
When cooked transfer to a platter and cover with towel until ready to serve. Wrap any leftover naan in plastic wrap or place in zip-lock bag. It also freezes well.
Naan shown above with https://thorncreekcookery.com/kachumber-salad-with-avocado-cream/
