Naan recipe – chewy & fluffy!

Original Url

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
• 1 1/2 tbsp whisked egg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 3/4 cups bread flour
• 30g / 2 tbsp ghee or unsalted butter
• 30g / 2 tbsp tbsp ghee or butter
• 1 small garlic clove
• Nigella seeds
• Coriander/cilantro
• 1/4 cup shredded cheese

Instructions

1. Mix yeast with warm water and sugar in a small bowl. Cover with cling wrap, leave for 10 minutes until foamy.
2. Whisk milk and egg together.
3. Sift flour and salt into a separate bowl.
4. Add yeast mixture, and butter and egg mixture to flour. Mix with a spatula, then with hands to form a ball.
5. Cover the bowl with cling-wrap, then leave in a warm place for 1 – 1.5 hrs until it doubles in size.
6. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 6 equal pieces, then shape into balls.
7. Place balls on a lightly-floured tray, cover loosely with a tea towel. Put in a warm place to rise for 15 minutes until it increases in size by about 50%.
8. 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).
9. Rub a cast iron skillet with a very light coat of oil. Set over high heat until you see wisps of smoke.
10. 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.
11. Flip then cook the other side for 1 minute until the bubbles become deep golden brown.
12. Remove, set aside, and repeat with remaining naan.
13. Brush freshly cooked naan with melted butter or ghee (or garlic butter). Sprinkle with nigella seeds and coriander. Serve hot!

Recipe Notes

The recipe emphasizes the importance of using yeast for a fluffy texture, unlike some naan recipes that omit it. It also notes that ghee is preferred for its flavor and high heat tolerance, but butter can be substituted. The recipe highlights that the dough does not require kneading and that blooming the yeast in warm water contributes to a softer naan. The author also mentions a typo in the cookbook version regarding the addition of butter to the dough.

User Feedback

The comments are overwhelmingly positive, with many users reporting success making the naan and comparing it favorably to restaurant-style naan. Common themes include the importance of the foamy yeast, the ease of the recipe, and the delicious flavor. Some users shared tips for adjusting the heat and using different types of flour.