Garlic Naan

Makes 10-12

Did you know that Indians never make naan at home, and not because it’s hard to make but because of the special oven it’s roasted in. Naan is traditionally made in a tandoor which is really a very large clay pot laid with hot coals at the bottom. One-by-one, pastry chefs in Indian restaurants stretch the leavened dough using their hands, before sticking it onto the walls of this very hot oven. Within seconds, they pull out perfectly crispy naans with soft, pillowy centers. A tandoor is huge and extremely hot which is why you would never see it installed in a home kitchen; in fact most Indian homes rely solely on cooking with fire (now in the form of LPG), and don’t have access to an oven either.

My recipe for Naan is super-simple and can be made easily using a pizza stone or a baking tray in your convectional oven. Even better, if you roast your naan first in a crepe pan and then place it directly on fire, just for a few seconds to achieve that charred rustic look one would get in a tandoor. Easy, super-delicious, and hassle-free - do give this recipe a try!

Ingredients

3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour

7g sachet (2.5 teaspoons) active dried yeast

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon caster sugar

2-3 tablespoons minced garlic (skip for plain naan)

1/4 cup chopped coriander leaves (skip for plain naan)

1/3 cup (80ml) Greek yogurt or thick plain yogurt, at room temperature

2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil

3/4 cup (180ml) warm water

3-4 tablespoons butter, melted

Recipe

1Combine the flour, yeast, salt, sugar, garlic, and coriander leaves in a bowl. Mix in yogurt and oil. Adding little water at a time, knead until a soft ball of dough comes together. Continue kneading for about 5 minutes or until smooth.

2Place dough in a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm place for one hour or until the dough has doubled in size.

3Meanwhile, pre-heat your convection oven to 250°C for about 40 minutes. Leave a baking tray or pizza stone in the oven during the pre-heating process.

4Punch down dough then divide it into 10-12 equal portions. Roll each portion between your palms until smooth, make it flat, dip it in flour on both sides, and place it flat on the counter. Using a rolling pin, roll into a thin circle, lifting and turning the flatbread after each roll so it doesn't stick to the counter (dust flour if necessary). Finally pull on a corner creating a tear-drop shape.

5Place 2 naans at a time on the heated baking tray or pizza stone for 2-3 minutes until slightly puffed and lightly-golden along the edges.

6Alternatively, roast naan in a cast-iron pan or crepe pan for 10-15 seconds on each side, flip and roast 5 more seconds on each side. For a more rustic look, use a pair of tongs to place naan directly on the flame and roast for a few seconds on each side, until slightly charred.

7Brush Naan with butter. Wrap in foil or place in a bread basket to keep warm.

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