I am a complete lover of all things Indian food. No matter which dishes I try, accompanying them with naan is always a must. For some reason, the thought of making naan at home was intimidating. Once I gave it a shot, I realized that it is actually a very do-able process. And, the product is very rewarding.
Naan is usually made in a clay oven. The original recipe I followed suggests using a cast-iron skillet, but I found that a large, regular skillet worked just fine. Side note: the recipe I followed makes 6 loaves, but if you like thicker, fluffier naan, consider dividing the dough into 4-5 loaves instead.
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| T.C. rates: 4 beards |
Ingredients:
1 tsp. active dry yeast
2 tsp. sugar
2 c. all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
1 tsp. fine sea salt
1/8 tsp. baking powder
3 tbsp. plain yogurt
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. kalonji (nigella seeds), optional
1 tsp. fennel seeds, optional
Melted butter for brushing on the finished naan
Course sea salt for sprinkling
Directions:
In a large glass, dissolve the dry yeast and 1 tsp. sugar with 3/4 c. warm water (about 100 degrees F). Let it sit on the counter until it's frothy (about 10 minutes).
Meanwhile, sift the flour, salt, remaining 1 tsp. 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; 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 stick 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. (I let it sit for about 3.)
This is about what the dough should look like, after you have given it time to rise.
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 stick, which is good.
Separate the dough into 6 equal portions and lightly roll each one into the bowl of extra flour to keep them from sticking together.
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 ready.
Dampen your hands in the bowl of water and pick up one sheet of naan dough, 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 about 30 seconds longer.
Remove the naan from the skillet, brush with a bit of butter and sprinkle with a little sea salt. Place the naan in a tea towel-lined or paper towel-lined dish. Repeat with the rest of the naan dough and serve nice and warm.
Eat your heart out.
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