Naan

Makes 6 naans

My favorite thing to get at an Indian restaurant is naan. I realized a few weeks ago that I can just make it at home – it turns out it’s very easy! This recipe is adapted from the ever-useful Minimalist Baker.

Ingredients

Yeast mixture
3/4 c warm water
1 t active yeast
1 t sugar
Dry ingredients
2 c all-purpose flour
1 t sea salt
3/4 t baking powder
Wet ingredients
3 T plain dairy-free yogurt or coconut milk
2 T olive oil

Method

  1. Add the yeast and sugar to the warm water, stir, and set it aside ’til it’s frothy – 10 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
  3. Once the yeast mixture is foaming, add the wet ingredients to it and mix. Combine the whole thing with the dry ingredients and mix with a fork.
  4. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead lightly – about 5 turns – and form it into a loose ball. Place it back in the mixing bowl and rub it with olive oil. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let it rise for 2–4 hours.
  5. Once risen, turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 30 seconds, then divide into six pieces.
  6. Knead each piece until it forms a ball, then wrap cover everything with plastic wrap and let it rest for 10 minutes. In the meantime, prepare any garnishes you want to add.
  7. Once the dough has rested, heat a cast-iron pan on medium. For each piece of dough:
    1. Lay it on a floured surface.
    2. Roll it out into an oval with a rolling pin.
    3. Carefully flip it over and pat it with a bit of water so it doesn’t stick to the pan. Press whatever garnishes you’ve prepared into the dough at this time.
    4. Place the dough wet-side down in the hot pan and cook for a minute or so - ’til the edges look dry and it’s starting to bubble.
    5. Flip the naan and cook it until it’s dark brown underneath.
  8. Once everything is cooked, brush them with melted butter or coconut oil and sprinkle them with cilantro or sea salt, if you want. Serve immediately.

Notes

Leftovers

You can cover the naan and store it at room temp for 2 days or in the freezer for up to a month. You can reheat them in the microwave or oven. I’ve never had any problem with it sticking around that long, though!

Naan pizza

We used this naan as a pizza crust tonight and it was quite good! We just dressed them like pizza and threw them in the oven for 8 minutes to let the cheese melt.