Naan
This recipe is absolutely delicious. When we made it, it completely stole the show - it was pretty much the best naan I’ve ever had, way better than restaurant naan even - it almost has a doughnut-like wholesomeness. It takes quite a long time to make, but well worth it!
The recipe at its original source at AllRecipes has some helpful tips in the comments section.
Suggested pairings
- Coconut Vegetable Curry
- Vegetable Curry
- Potato Bean Curry
- Vij’s Turmeric Fried Potatoes
- or the classic Vij’s Chicken Curry
Ingredients
- 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast = 2 1/4 tsp (or use slightly less instant yeast)
- 1 cup warm water
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 4 to 4 1/2 cups bread flour (all purpose would be fine too)
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
First rising
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water and add a little bit of the sugar. If using active dry yeast, let stand about 10 minutes, until frothy; if using instant don’t bother. Stir in rest of sugar, milk, egg, salt, garlic, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes on a lightly floured surface, or until smooth. Place dough in a well oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside to rise. Let it rise 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in volume.
Note: if using instant yeast one hour is probably too long. Gas bubbles indicate overproofed dough.
Second rising
Punch down dough. Pinch off small handfuls of dough about the size of a golf ball (or slice the dough up with a knife). Roll into balls, and place on a tray. Brush with oil or water, cover with a damp towel, and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
During the second rising, preheat grill to high heat.
Grilling
At grill side, roll one ball of dough out into a thin circle. Poke into it a bit with your fingers so there are dents in the dough.
Lightly oil grill. Place dough on grill, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until puffy and lightly browned. Brush uncooked side with butter, and turn over. Brush cooked side with butter, and cook until browned, another 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from grill, and continue the process until all the naan has been prepared.
Note the naan will puff up quite a bit in the pan, so don’t panic if the balls look small.
You can store the naan and then toast it up the next day if you have extra.
Makes about 20 naans.