Chewy yet fluffy, naan is the ideal side dish for spicy stews. Tear the bread to mop up the sauce and the experience is unbelievable.
But that doesn’t mean that naan cannot be served by itself. It makes a delightful breakfast and snack especially when paired with coffee or tea.
How you want to enjoy your naan is up to you. Make a large batch, eat a few, keep the rest tightly wrapped and keep in the freezer. Take out what you require each time and simply heat in the toaster or in an oil-free pan.
Making naan begins with making a bread dough. Bread flour, baking powder, sugar and salt are mixed with oil and milk during the first stage.
The dry and wet ingredients are mixed in the bowl until the dough forms into a ball. It is wet and sticky at this point.
The dough is transferred on the counter and kneaded until smooth. By hand, it takes 10 minutes for the dough to reach that stage.
The dough is left to rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Use that time to prep whatever you want to add to it. In this recipe, that means garlic and cilantro.
The fully rested dough is halved and each half is cut into five portions. Each portion is rolled into a ball then flattened.
The chopped garlic and cilantro are sprinkled on top of the flattened dough then a rolling pin is passed over the dough to press the garlic and cilantro into it.
A griddle is brushed lightly with ghee, the dough is arranged on it and the uncooked flatbreads are brushed on top with more ghee. The dough browns at the bottom while bubbles form on top.
The top of the flatbread is seared with a kitchen torch to give it its characteristic scorched appearance and smoky flavor.
Garlic Naan
Ingredients
- 2 cups bread flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons oil
- ¾ cup full-fat milk
- 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- ghee for brushing
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together the bread flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.
- Make a well in the center, and pour in the milk and oil.
- Stir the contents of the bowl to form the dough. Keep stirring until the dough starts to form into a ball.
- Transfer the dough to your work surface and knead until smooth, about ten minutes.
- Form the dough into a ball, cover loosely with cling film and leave to rest for ten to 15 minutes.
- While the dough rests, chop the garlic and cilantro.
- Cut the dough into halves, and each half into five equal portions.
- Roll each portion between the palm of your hands to form a ball.
- Flatten each ball with a rolling pin.
- Sprinkle garlic and cilantro on the dough. Use the rolling pin to press them into the dough.
- Lightly brush a griddle with ghee then lay the rolled dough, two to three at a time (depending on the size of your griddle) and brush the tops with more ghee.
- Cook the rolled dough until the undersides are lightly browned and the top is bubbly.
- Using a kitchen torch, scorch the top of the naan until blistered and blackened in spots.
- Serve the garlic and cilantro naan warm.
