The American public has taken to naan in a big way recently. Interesting because a tandoori oven, the kind used to prepare naan in India, is not something most people have in their homes. This means naan is rarely served at family gatherings. On a hot flat iron or pan, you may simply make puri, roti, or paratha, among other forms of flat bread. Naan breads are commonly served at Indian restaurants worldwide, including in the United States. Naan is a type of bread that originated in northern India but is now popular all over the subcontinent.
Naan preparation
There appears to be a wide variety of naan available. Different varieties range from thin and almost crisp with huge bubbles baked in place to those that are thick, flat, and made of soft dough. Yeast, flour, milk/water, ghee, yogurt, salt, and sometimes salt are the only constant ingredients across recipes. It’s also feasible to add things like egg. Flat breads in the shape of a teardrop are generated from the yeast dough after it has risen. When baking in a clay tandoor, the huge disc of dough is pressed up against the oven wall. As a result of the extreme heat, this occurs in a short amount of time.
There are numerous approaches to baking these loaves at home. The closest analog that would produce the necessary high heat is baking them on an outdoor grill. They can also be baked on baking sheets or a pizza stone preheated in the oven for at least half an hour in a hot home oven.
Toasted Naan
Yeast, rapid-rise, one packet
1-pound all-purpose flour or 1-pound all-purpose flour with 1/2-pound whole wheat flour
SALT, 1 TEASPOT
- Warm milk, one cup
- Yogurt, Half a Cup
- Ghee, about 2 teaspoons
Mix the first three items together and put them aside. The wet elements should be combined first, then poured over the dry and mixed together. After ingredients are combined, knead for 10 minutes and let rest so they can rise till doubled in size. Divide the dough into 6 pieces after punching it down. Stretch to the classic teardrop shape by rolling or patting out thinly into a huge circle and pulling on one end. Bake on baking sheets or a pizza stone for 8-10 minutes at 475 degrees. If using a grill, put it over high heat, cover it, and come back in a minute to see how it turned out. If the bottom is nicely browned, flip and continue cooking for another minute or so.
After baking, naan can be left plain, drizzled with melted ghee, or topped with nigella or poppy seeds. Ghee can be flavored by melting it with chopped garlic and brushing it on breads before baking. You can also sprinkle some coarsely powdered coriander seed on top. Breads are used as utensils when eating spicy curry, kebab, or other Indian street food. Without a fork, food is scooped up with pieces of bread. It’s no surprise that these loaves have become so widespread, regardless of how they’re consumed. Try them out and see if they work for you.
Please accept my sincere appreciation for reading this essay. I really hope you learned a lot and found it useful in your own cooking adventures.
