Naan – Oven Baked Flat Bread



Naan is the most popular Indian bread in the Western world. It is a flat bread that is traditionally cooked in a clay oven or “tandoor.” This recipe however uses a regular home oven (with a pizza stone). Serve Naan with daal makhani, shahi paneer or any other vegetable.

Makes 6 Naan.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of All Purpose flour (Plain flour or maida)
• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Pinch of baking soda
• 2 tablespoons of oil
• 2 1/2 tablespoons yogurt (curd or dahi)
• 3/4 cup lukewarm water

Also needed

• 1 teaspoon of clear butter (ghee) to butter the Naan
• 1/4 cup All Purpose flour for rolling

Method

1. Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water and let it sit for 10 minutes or until the mixture becomes frothy.
2. Add sugar, salt and baking soda to the flour and mix well.
3. Add the oil and yogurt to make crumbly dough. Add the water/yeast mixture and additional water as needed to make into firm dough. Note: The dough will soften as it rises.
4. Knead the dough until smooth. Cover the dough and keep in a warm place three to four hours, until nearly double in volume.
5. Heat the oven to 500°F with pizza stone (baking stone) approx. thirty minutes, until stone is hot. Using a baking/pizza stone will help to give the naan close to same kind of heat as a clay tandoor.
6. Next turn the oven to high broil.
7. Knead the dough for about one minute. Divide it into six equal parts.
8. Roll each piece of dough, into eight ovals. Dust the surface lightly with dry flour to help with the rolling.
9. Lightly wet your hands and flip the rolled naan between your palms. Place two naan on your baking/pizza stone and put it into the oven.
   Bake the naan two at a time. The naan will take two to three minutes to cook, depending upon your oven. The baked naan should be golden brown on top.
10. Take naan out of the oven and brush lightly with clear butter or ghee.
11. Wait two to three minutes before baking the next naan to give oven a chance to regain lost heat.

Serving suggestion

• Serve Naan with Dal Makhani, Punjabi Chole, Palak Paneer Enjoy!

Notes

• If pizza stone is not available, use baking sheet.
• Once the top of the naan is cooked, turn them over to cook on the other side.