Naan: Indian Oven-Baked Flat Bread

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Picture of Naan: Indian Oven-Baked Flat Bread Recipe Photo: Naan: Indian Oven-Baked Flat Bread Recipe
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Total Time:
3 hr 30 min
Prep
15 min
Inactive
3 hr 0 min
Cook
15 min
Yield:
6 loaves
Level:
Easy
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If there's anything that will make you fall in love with Indian food, it's naan. This flatbread from the North of India is juxtaposition at its most beautiful: pillowy and elastic, with dark charred bubbles and a crispy bottom. It's usually made in a tandoor oven, a clay oven that can reach up to 900 degrees F! That's hard to replicate at home, but this stovetop version comes pretty darned close.

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling, see Cook's Note*
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3 tablespoons plain yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon kalonji (nigella seeds), optional, see Cook's Note**
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, optional, see Cook's Note**
  • Melted butter for slathering on the finished naans
  • Coarse sea salt for sprinkling

Directions

In a large glass, dissolve the dry yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar with 3/4 cup warm water (about 100 degrees F). Let it sit on your counter until it's frothy, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, sift the flour, salt, remaining 1 teaspoon of sugar and baking powder into a large, deep bowl.

Once the yeast is frothy, add the yogurt and the olive oil into the glass, and stir to combine. Pour the yogurt mixture into the dry ingredients and add the kalonji and fennel seeds, if using, and gently mix the ingredients together with a fork. When the dough is about to come together, use your hands to mix. It will feel like there isn't enough flour at first, but keep going until it transforms into a soft, slightly sticky and pliable dough. As soon as it comes together, stop kneading. Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel and let it sit in a warm, draft-free place for 2 to 4 hours.

When you're ready to roll, make sure you have two bowls on your counter: one with extra flour in it, and one with water. The dough will be extremely soft and sticky-this is good! Separate the dough into 6 equal portions and lightly roll each one in the bowl of extra flour to keep them from sticking to each other.

Shape the naan. Using a rolling pin, roll each piece of dough into a teardrop shape, narrower at the top than at the bottom. It should be 8 to 9-inches long, 4-inches wide at its widest point and about 1/4-inch thick. Once you've formed the general shape, you can also pick it up by one end and wiggle it; the dough's own weight will stretch it out a little. Repeat this method with the rest of the dough. (If you're making the gluten-free version, you'll have better luck pressing the dough out with your fingertips, than rolling.)

Warm a large cast-iron skillet over high heat until it's nearly smoking. Make sure you have a lid large enough to fit the skillet and have a bowl of melted butter at the ready.

Dampen your hands in the bowl of water and pick up one of your naans, flip-flopping it from one hand to the other to lightly dampen it. Gently lay it in the skillet and set your timer for 1 minute. The dough should start to bubble.

After about 1 minute, flip the naan. It should be blistered and somewhat blackened, don't worry - that's typical of traditional naan! Cover the skillet with the lid and cook 30 seconds to 1 minute more.

Remove the naan from the skillet, brush with a bit of butter and sprinkle with a little coarse sea salt. Place the naan in a tea towel-lined dish. Repeat with the rest of the naans and serve.

Cook's Notes:

* If you would like to make this gluten-free, you can substitute in 2 1/4 cups of a gluten-free all-purpose flour mix for the regular flour, plus 1 1/4 teaspoons of xanthum gum.

**The kalonji and fennel seeds are not traditional, but I love the burst of onion and mild licorice flavor they add. You can find them pretty cheaply at your local Indian market.

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Newest Ratings and Reviews

Read all 45 reviews

  • on February 27, 2013

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    My family loved this recipe. We tried over naan recipes before but didn't work out.
    This was easy to make and delicious. I like it better than the restaurant naan.

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  • on February 24, 2013

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    OK. I made this again and didn't double the recipe. It turned out great. Easy to work with. Burned a little bit at first but thats my fault. I now know where to keep the heat on my stove. I couldn't find nigella seed but I used fennel seed and it added a nice subtle flavor. Made a black bean humus and it paired great with the naan. i'll certainly make this again. Very easy to make.














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  • on February 20, 2013

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    Loved this bread! Easy to make. I left it to rest overnight in the fridge and it was easy to work with the next day. I shaped it by hand, and did not roll out with a rolling pin, using lots of flour. I'm using the leftovers to make pizza. Way better and cheaper than the store bought versions.

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