Naan (Soft Leavened Flatbread)
Local name: नान
In short: Soft, bubbly yeasted flatbread made with yogurt and cooked in a very hot skillet, then brushed with garlic butter. No tandoor needed. It takes about 45 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Resting
- 1 h 30 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 350 kcal
Naan is the leavened flatbread of North Indian restaurants and festive meals, traditionally slapped onto the wall of a tandoor. This version uses a yogurt and yeast dough and a heavy skillet with a lid to trap steam, so the bread puffs and blisters. It is soft, slightly chewy and made for mopping up butter chicken, dal makhani or palak paneer. The dough can be mixed in the morning and cooked just before dinner.
Instructions
- Mix the flour, yeast, sugar, salt and baking powder in a large bowl. Add the yogurt, oil and warm milk and stir into a shaggy dough.
- Knead on a lightly floured surface for 8 minutes until smooth and soft but not sticky. If it feels stiff, add more milk a tablespoon at a time.
- Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover and let it rise somewhere warm for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until doubled in size.
- Stir the melted butter, garlic and coriander together. Divide the dough into 6 balls and rest them under a cloth for 10 minutes.
- Heat a heavy cast-iron or non-stick skillet over high heat for 3 minutes until very hot. Meanwhile roll one ball into a teardrop about 20 cm (8 in) long and 5 mm thick, pressing in a few nigella seeds if you like.
- Lay the naan in the dry skillet and cook for 1 minute until bubbles form. Flip, cover with a lid and cook another minute, until puffed and spotted brown.
- Brush with garlic butter, wrap in a clean cloth to keep warm and repeat with the remaining dough.
Tips
- For a blistered top, hold each cooked naan with tongs over an open gas flame for a few seconds. Keep sleeves and hair well back.
- To stuff the naan, wrap a spoonful of grated mozzarella or spiced mashed potato inside each ball before rolling it out gently.
Questions and answers
Can I make naan without yeast?
Yes. Leave out the yeast and use 1 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp baking soda, then rest the dough for 30 minutes. The naan will be a little denser and less chewy.
How do I store and reheat naan?
Keep cooled naan wrapped in foil for a day, or freeze for 2 months. Reheat in a hot dry pan, or wrapped in foil in a 180°C (350°F) oven for 8 minutes.
What is the difference between naan and roti?
Naan is made from white flour with yeast and yogurt, so it is thick, soft and puffy. Roti is a thin whole wheat flatbread cooked without leavening.
How long does it take to make Naan (Soft Leavened Flatbread)?
About 45 min in total: 25 min of preparation and 20 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Naan (Soft Leavened Flatbread)?
About 350 kcal per serving, with 9 g of protein, 52 g of carbohydrates and 12 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 350 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 9 g |
| Carbohydrates | 52 g |
| Fat | 12 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 3 g |
| Sodium | 420 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
