Naan

A soft, flat Indian bread which is traditionally baked in a tandoor oven, where the dough is slapped onto the interior wall and quickly baked over an open fire. Fortunately, we can still prepare this bread at home by using either an oven with a pizza stone or a frying pan.  Tastes excellent when served with any Indian curry dishes!

Ingredients (yields 6 pieces):
260 g plain flour
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
a pinch of baking soda
3 tbsp yoghurt
2 tbsp corn or vegetable oil

1 tsp dry yeast
140 ml lukewarm water

extra flour for rolling of naans
2 tbsp melted ghee, for brushing

Method:
Dissolve dry yeast in lukewarm water and leave aside for about 10 to 15 minutes.

In a mixing bowl, add flour, sugar, salt and baking soda.  Mix well.  Add yoghurt and oil.  Mix well. Then, add the yeast mixture and knead to form a firm dough.  Knead dough until smooth.  Cover bowl and leave aside in a warm place for about 3 to 4 hours until almost double the volume.  As the dough rises, the texture will become soft.

Heat your conventional oven (without fan) with a pizza stone placed on the middle rack to a temperature of 260° C for about 30 to 45 minutes.  The pizza stone will lend almost the same kind of heat as the clay tandoor pot.  Once the right temperature is reached, switch on the "grill/broil" mode (maximum temperature).

Divide dough into six equal portions.  Dust worktop with a little flour.  Take a portion of dough and roll into an oval shape, making sure that it is dusted with flour in order that it does not stick to the worktop.  Repeat procedure with the rest of the dough.

Lightly wet your hands and flip the rolled out naan between your hands.  Place two naans on the pizza stone at a time.  Bake for about 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown.  Once done, remove from oven and brush lightly with warm melted ghee.  For garlic naan, add minced garlic to warm ghee before brushing.  Reheat oven again before baking the rest of dough.

Alternatively, you can cook naan in a hot & dry non-stick frying pan.  Cook naan until air bubbles appear on surface & the underside is slightly browned.  Turn over and cook until the underside is slight browned.  Remove and brush lightly with melted ghee.

Serve hot or warm with any kind of Indian curry!

Bon Appetit!