This is my favourite Indian bread and I've found an easy way to make it at home!
Ingredients
10g fresh yeast o 1/2 sachet dry yeast (see packet instructions)
300g white flour - ideally from bakery (or you can use all purpose white flour)
60g Greek yogurt (sugared version better)
30ml milk
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
a pinch of sugar
2 teaspoons salt
dry garlic
fresh minced coriander leaves (cilantro)
150ml lukewarm water
This recipe makes 4 naans
Important
How to make lukewarm water - mix 150ml boiled water with 300ml cold water, and use 150ml of this volume to dissolve the yeast in.
It's always better if you can use fresh yeast and flour as it will produce a softer, more tender and crunchier naan.
Preparing the dough
(This is very similar to how I make my pizza dough!)
1.I always use fresh yeast. The first stage is to activate the yeast. Combine 150ml lukewarm water with 10g fresh yeast, a pinch of sugar and mix using a teaspoon.
2. After about 5-15 minutes, the surface of the liquid will start to foam, which indicates that the yeast has been activated. I haven't used dry yeast, but I think 1/2 a sachet should be sufficient for 150ml lukewarm water, but please check the instructions on the packet.
 |  |
3. In a large bowl, combine 300g flour, the activated yeast mix, 2 teaspoons of salt, 1 tbsp sunflower oil, 30ml milk and 60g Greek yoghurt.
4.The ingredients can be mixed by hand, or using dough hooks on a mixer. I usually start off by using the mixer, and hands later, but you can stick to using your hands for the entire process.
 |
 |
 |
5.If you are using the mixer, once the ingredients are combined (or once a soft ball has formed), move the dough over to a work surface/large chopping board. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for a few minutes, until the dough becomes soft and no longer sticks to the surface or your hands. If it continues to stick, add small amounts of flour at a time and keep kneading until it becomes soft.
 |
 |
6. Form a ball with the dough and grease a bowl with oil, placing the dough ball in it and cover with cling film. Set aside for approximately 2 hours in a dry place. I normally leave it inside the oven (turned off!). In about 2 hours, the dough will double in size.
 |
 |
7. Knead again and divide the dough ball into 4.
8. Move a dough ball at a time over to a floured work surface and start stretching out the dough using your hands or a rolling pin. You can start flattening the centre with your hands, and then applying pressure with fingers from the centre towards the edges in different directions. Continue until the dough is stretched (ideally into a nice circle, but I'm not very good with shapes!😆). Sprinkle a bit of flour during the process if the dough starts sticking.
 |  |
9. Sprinkle some dry garlic, salt and fresh coriander over the spread out dough. I usually dab the coriander leaves into the dough with wet fingers to help them stick and stay in place.
(If you're not a fan or garlic and coriander you can leave them plain).
10. Heat a frying pan with a tiny drop of oil (optional to add a drop of oil) over a medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, cook the naans a few minutes on each side. The top side should puff up (form air bubbles), and both sides should have brown-golden spots when ready.
 |  |  |
If you made plain naans, you can spread a bit of butter over them before eating.
11. The naans can be refrigerated for a few days (sprinkle some water to rehydrate and re-heat in the oven), and they can also be frozen.
 |  |
12. Another favourite variation of mine is Peshwari naan. After diving the balls into 4 (step 7), place a mix of dry fruits in the centre of each ball, cover the dough and then continue rolling out the balls (step 8). The dry fruits include raisins, desiccated coconut, ground almonds and pistachios.
Comments
Post a Comment