Naan
Naan is an Indian flatbread traditionally baked against the walls of a blazing hot clay tandoor oven. At home, you can make it in a very hot cast-iron or nonstick skillet and still get those irresistible charred, puffy bubbles. Yogurt and ghee make the bread soft and chewy with a gentle tang, perfect for scooping up curry.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Rising or chilling
- 1 hr 45 min
- Total time
- 2 hr 35 min
- Method
- Pan-cooked or waffle iron
Ingredients
Dough
Garlic ghee for brushing
Instructions
Step 1
Mix 500 g all-purpose flour, 6 g instant yeast, 4 g baking powder, 20 g granulated sugar and 9 g salt in a large bowl, then pour in 150 g plain unsweetened yogurt, 130 g warm whole milk, 50 g water and 30 g ghee and stir with a wooden spoon. Warm milk gets the yeast going quickly, while the yogurt makes the bread tender with a mild tang. The mixture is right when all the dry flour has been absorbed and it comes together in a shaggy mass.
Step 2
Turn the dough out onto the counter and knead for about eight minutes, folding it toward you and pushing it away with the heel of your hand. Kneading develops the gluten so the bread is chewy and puffs up well in the heat. The dough is right when it is soft, smooth and very slightly tacky without sticking to your hands, and springs back when pressed.
Step 3
Rub a thin layer of oil around a bowl, put the dough in, cover with plastic wrap and leave somewhere warm for about an hour and a half. The rise gives the yeast time to make gas and build flavor. The dough is right when it has doubled and a dent made with your finger fills back in very slowly.
Step 4
Press the dough gently to deflate it, divide it into eight equal pieces, roll each into a ball, then cover with a towel and let them rest for about fifteen minutes. This short rest relaxes the gluten, so the dough rolls out easily without shrinking back. The balls are right when they are soft and slightly puffed.
Step 5
Melt 30 g ghee over low heat; if you like, add 10 g minced garlic and stir for about one minute, then turn off the heat and add 5 g finely chopped mixed fresh herbs, such as cilantro. Low heat cooks the garlic until fragrant without turning it bitter. The ghee is right when the garlic has just turned pale golden and smells fragrant.
Step 6
Roll each ball into a teardrop or oval about five millimeters thick and about twenty centimeters long. Bread of moderate thickness puffs up quickly in the skillet and cooks evenly inside. Roll each one just before cooking it so the surface doesn't dry out.
Step 7
Heat a cast-iron skillet over high heat until very hot, brush a little water over the top of a naan, lay it wet side down in the skillet and cook for about a minute and a half until the top is covered in bubbles, then flip and cook for about one minute more. A screaming hot pan creates steam that puffs the bread and gives it its signature charred spots. The naan is done when both sides have dark brown spots and it puffs slightly when lifted.
Step 8
Transfer the naan to a plate, brush it right away with garlic ghee, then stack and cover with a clean towel to keep warm while you cook the rest. The ghee soaks into the hot bread, making it softer and glossier. The naan is ready when the top glistens with ghee and it is still soft enough to fold.
Equipment
- Nonstick skillet
- Small saucepan
- Rolling pin
- Mixing bowl
- Bench scraper
- Pastry brush
- Kitchen scale
- Plastic wrap
Tips
- If you have a cast-iron skillet, you can turn the naan upside down directly over the flame for a few seconds at the end to char it as if it came from a tandoor.
- Using Greek yogurt instead of regular yogurt gives a tangier flavor and a chewier crumb.
- Sprinkle a few black sesame seeds or cumin seeds over the naan before cooking for a new flavor twist.
Storage
Naan is best eaten hot, right after it is made. Cooled naan can be wrapped tightly and kept at room temperature for one day, or frozen for up to two months; reheat it in a hot skillet or in the oven for about three to four minutes.
Common problems and how to fix them
- The naan didn't puff and is flat and stiff.
- The skillet wasn't hot enough or the dough was rolled too thin. Heat the skillet over high heat for a good long while and keep the naan about five millimeters thick.
- The naan is burnt outside but still raw inside.
- The dough was rolled too thick for the heat of the pan. Roll it a little thinner and cover the skillet while the first side cooks so the trapped heat cooks the inside.
This recipe is based on the common ratios for this bake and is written entirely in our own words.
