If you are an Indian food lover, or even if not, you must try this homemade Naan! It's a yummy flat bread that was/is traditionally made in a tandoor, but can also easily be cooked in a skillet over the stove top. It's a perfect accompaniment to Butter Chicken, curry, or another traditional Indian meat dish.
This stuff is a staple around our house! You know how I love my carbs. I get them any way I can, and I just have to have some at every meal or I don't leave feeling satisfied.
A few years back, I attended a ladies' cooking demonstration that was put on by some members of my church where we learned how to make cuisines from around the world. It was fascinating. I was especially intrigued by the Indian recipes. I had never had this variety of food, but I'd heard great things about it, as in it has tons of flavor. I was sold!
I sampled some Sweet Mango Lassi (a traditional yogurt-based drink). It was phenomenal. I then had the pleasure of enjoying the main course, which was Chicken Makhani (Indian Butter Chicken) with today's homemade Naan, a flat bread. Can I just say, wow! It knocked my socks off, it was an amazing experience for the taste buds!
There's no fork or other eating utensils required. You break off a piece of flatbread and use it to scoop up the chicken mixture or whatever other meat you're having. Messy fingers aren't a problem, because licking them clean is totally acceptable and encouraged with something this tasty!
I rushed home from the demonstration and made the naan and chicken for my family They begged me to put it on the regular meal rotation. It's that good.
Don't be scared away by the lengthy instructions. It really is easy to make, and you will thank yourself for doing so!
{NAAN BREAD}
1 package (2 1/4 tsp.) active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup white sugar
3 Tablespoons milk or plain yogurt
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
3 to 3 1/2 cups bread flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Butter or ginger garlic paste for brushing
Dried Parsley for sprinkling
In the bowl of a mixer that's fitted with a dough hook, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes, until frothy. Mix in sugar, milk, egg, salt, baking soda and enough flour to make a soft dough (start with 3 cups and only add more, 1/4 cup at a time, if it's too sticky). You'll want it to still be slightly sticky to the touch when it's done kneading because you'll be rolling it out on additional flour. Knead for 3 minutes in mixer or for 6 minutes by hand on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Place dough in a well oiled bowl, cover with a warm damp cloth, and set aside to rise. Let rise 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.
Punch down dough. Pinch off small handfuls of dough about the size of a golf ball. Roll into 14 balls and place on a greased cookie sheet or baking tray. Cover with a towel and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
During the second rising, preheat grill to high heat. (You can cook in saute pan on stove top on med/high heat. Spray pan with cooking spray or brush with butter, then cook for a few minutes on each side. Also, you can cook on a baking stone preheated in a 550 F oven or as high as it will go, for 3-4 minutes to get a tandoor taste. Brush top of dough with butter (or I prefer ginger garlic paste) and add parsley before putting in oven and then brush again with a little more butter (or ginger garlic paste) after).
Roll one ball of dough out into a thin circle. Lightly butter grill or saute pan. Place dough on grill or in saute pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until puffy and lightly browned. Brush uncooked side with butter (or I prefer ginger garlic paste) and turn over. Brush cooked side with butter (or ginger garlic paste) and cook until browned, another 2 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle both sides with dried parsley. Remove from grill or pan and continue the process until all the naan has been prepared.
*Tip: Naan dough will save for up to 5 days refrigerated or can be frozen. After rolled out, put between plastic wrap. Add garlic or ginger garlic paste to butter before brushing the naan at the end and you can have different flavors of naan. I purchased my ginger garlic paste at an international foods market, but it can also be found on Amazon.
I've heard that you can purchase naan dough ready-made and cook it yourself, but this fresh stuff is just so irresistible that I don't know if I ever could! Try this and I think you'll love it!