There are several ways to make Naan and at home you can cook it in three distinct ways. Once you’ve prepared the naan dough (recipe below), you can make it :
– In the oven ( I love to turn the oven on at the highest temp i.e. 550 C during winters or I prefer this method when I am making Naan for a large group) Remember if you are using thismethod, your baking sheet needs to be hot when you put flattened out dough onto it. Each side of dough needs 2-3 mins. Once naan is ready, pat some butter on top and serve right away.
– Cook it on a tawa/griddle/skillet on a stove top (my favourite way since Naan’s always come out soft and fluffy) . I like to make a big batch of dough this way and then our whole family enjoys the naan with curry foir several days. When you want to reheat the naan (just sprinkle few drops of water on top and microwave it) It is also good to be used as a base for a pizza.
– There is always an option to take out your good ol’ George Foreman grill especially if you are a student living in a dorm or out camping or travelling and crave this delicious Indian flatbread.
Here’s how you can prepare the dough for Naan Bread
3 cups all purpose flour (feel free to use whole wheat flour or half of each kind for healthier version)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar (and pinch more to add in yeast)
2 tbsp oil ( few drops more to pat on top of the dough)
1 tsp yeast ( to be dissolved in 1/4 cup lukewarm water and with pinch of sugar) Let this mixture stand for 10 mins and become frothy. It works like magic but smells really bad.
1 egg
1/2 cup milk and to knead the dough you will also require 1/2 to 3/4 cup room temp water
1/2 tsp baking powder
In a bowl, combine flour with baking powder, sugar and salt. Add in egg and oil. Let yeast mixture get ready and then add it in the flour. Gradually add milk and water to form a soft pliable dough. Let dough stand for at least 4 hours. After about 2 hours, knead it once more. Dough will double in volume. Remember to cover the dough with a wet kitchen cloth or clean wet towel. Keep the dough in a warm place (like on top of the fridge or inside the oven) Once it’s done, you can refrigerate the dough (covered in an airtight container to make flatbread at a later date) Stays good for 3-5 days then starts to dry out. Now enjoy delicious homemade flatbread whenever you want.