Cheese Naan

- Makes 10 - 12

Love your cheese and naan? Then, you are in for a real treat with my crispy cheese naan filled with ooey-gooey aged cheddar. Just remember to use quality mature cheddar (I love using aged Irish cheddar) or any good cheese of your choice; the recipe itself is quite simple and easy to follow. Enjoy this crispy, cheesy flatbread with Chicken Tikka Masala or Butter Chicken - happy cooking!

Check out our quick video on how to roll cheese naan on Instagram

Ingredients for Cheese Naan

7g sachet active dry yeast
1 teaspoon caster sugar
3/4 cup warm water
375g all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
handful chopped coriander leaves
1/3 cup Greek yogurt or plain natural yogurt, at room temperature
2-3 tablespoons coconut oil or ghee
1.25 cups grated mature cheddar
Toasted nigella seeds, for sprinkling
2 tablespoons melted butter, for brushing

Recipe

Combine yeast, sugar and ¼ cup of warm water in a bowl – stir well and set aside for 10 minutes until frothy.
Combine flour, salt, and coriander leaves in a large bowl. Stir in yogurt, yeast mixture and oil. Now working with the rest of the ½ cup of warm water, mix all ingredients together until you get a soft pliable dough (only adding just enough water for a soft, non-sticky dough). Knead the dough for 5 minutes or until smooth. This makes the dough pliable and easy to roll.
Cover and set aside in a warm place for 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
Punch down dough then divide it into 10-12 equal portions.
Shape into balls – Make the top surface of each ball smooth by tucking the dough surface to the base. Place the balls on a lightly floured tray, and cover loosely with a lightweight tea towel. Leave to rise in a warm place for 15 minutes until they increase in size by about 50%. It doesn’t take long.
Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 250°C for about 40 minutes placing a large baking tray in the middle rack.
OR
To roast Naan on a skillet, heat the skillet for 5 minutes on medium flame.
Rolling out Butter Naan: To make Butter Naan, roll out each portion of dough on a lightly floured surface into a round shape. Pull on one end to form a triangular shape. Roast as directed in step 9. Finally, brush sparingly with melted butter, and a light sprinkling of toasted nigella and chopped coriander.
Rolling out Cheese Naan: To make cheese Naan, roll out each portion of dough on a lightly floured surface into a round shape. Sprinkle cheese on half of the rolled-out naan, fold over to form a semi-circle, press it down and fold again to form a triangle. Now roll it out again on a lightly floured surface to form a thin triangle.
Roasting Naan:
OVEN: Place 2 naans on a hot baking tray for 2-3 minutes until puffed and lightly golden along the edges. If naan doesn't brown on top flip it and let it roast for 10 more seconds.

SKILLET: Place Naan on a hot skillet and roast for about 15 seconds until bubbles appear. Flip and roast the other side for 15 more seconds. Flip again and cook both sides for 5 more seconds each until well roasted on both sides. For extra smokiness, you can also flip cooked naan on an open flame (using tongs) for a few seconds on each side, until lightly charred. Serve immediately.