Fluffy, bubbly and chewy naan bread, just like you get at Indian restaurants.
Naan Bread
Perfect for slopping up your favourite Indian curries – yet so good that you’ll happily devour it plain, straight out of the skillet. This is a recipe for naan bread that’s fluffy, bubbly and chewy, just as it should be.
Ingredients
- 1 tsp instant / rapid rise yeast
- 1/2 cup warm tap water (~40°C/105°F in temperature)
- 1 tbsp white sugar
- 2 tbsp milk , full fat (low fat ok too)
- 1 1/2 tbsp whisked egg , at room temp (around 1/2 an egg)
- 1/2 tsp salt , cooking / kosher
- 1 3/4 cups bread flour , or all-purpose/plain
- 30g / 2 tbsp ghee or unsalted butter , melted
Finishes:
- 30g / 2 tbsp ghee or butter , melted
- 1 small garlic clove , for Garlic Butter option
- Nigella seeds
- Coriander/cilantro , finely chopped
Cheese Naan:
- Shredded cheese (for cheese naan) – Monterey Jack, cheddar, tasty, colby, anything that melts (shred yourself)
Directions
- Mix yeast with warm water and sugar in a small bowl. Cover with cling wrap, leave for 10 minutes until foamy.
- Whisk milk and egg together.
- Sift flour and salt into a separate bowl.
- Make a well in the flour, add yeast mixture, and butter and egg mixture. Mix together with a spatula. Once the flour is mostly incorporated, switch to your hands and bring it together into a ball. No kneading is required.
- Cover the bowl with cling-wrap, then leave in a warm place for 1 – 1.5 hrs until it doubles in size.
- Place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 6 equal pieces, then shape into balls into spheres with a smooth surface by stretching the surface and tucking it under.
- Place balls on a lightly-floured tray or plate. Sprinkle lightly with flour, cover loosely with a lightweight tea towel. Put in a warm place to rise for 15 minutes until it increases in size by about 50%.
- Place a round on a lightly-floured work surface, flatten with your hand. Roll out into 3 – 4mm / 0.12 – 0.16" thick rounds (about 16cm / 6.5" wide).
- Rub a cast iron skillet with a very light coat of oil using 1/2 tsp oil on a paper towl (unless already well seasoned). Set over high heat until you see wisps of smoke.
- Place a naan dough in the skillet and cook for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes until the underside is deep golden / slightly charred – the surface should get bubbly. Flip then cook the other side for 1 minute until the bubbles become deep golden brown.
- Remove, set aside, and repeat with remaining naan, taking care to regulate the heat of the skillet so it doesn’t get too hot.
- Brush freshly cooked naan with melted butter or ghee (or garlic butter). Sprinkle with nigella seeds and coriander. Serve hot!
- Refer to the original recipe for detailed notes on each ingredient and step.
