Homemade Naan

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbs white sugar
  • 2 ¼ tsp instant yeast (or 1 packet)
  • 1/4 cup warm water
  • 3/4 cup warm milk
  • 3/4 cup plain yogurt
  • 1 stick melted butter
  • 4 cloves minced or grated garlic
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

  • In a glass measuring cup combine the yeast, sugar, and water and let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. (Warm? How warm? I know you’re asking yourself this! Ideally water should be somewhere between 100 – 110 degrees. I accomplish this by adding warm to hot tap water to the measuring cup and sticking my instant read thermometer in there. It obviously will drop in temp pretty quickly. Once it falls under 110, I add my yeast and sugar.)
  • Whisk the flour and salt together in a large bowl and create a well in the center.
  • Add warm milk and plain yogurt into the yeast mixture until well-combined. Pour into the well of the dry ingredients. Stir until a dough is formed, then turn out onto a lightly-floured surface and knead until smooth, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer the dough to a large, lightly oiled bowl and cover loosely with a damp kitchen towel. Let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Last time I made this it was actually pretty chilly in the house. To create a good atmosphere for the dough to rise, I turned my stove to 200 degrees and then I sat my covered bowl of dough on a dinner plate on the TOP of the stove. It was just that little bit of extra warmth that was needed.
  • Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead briefly into a disc and cut the dough into 12 equal-sized pieces. Roll each piece into a ball.
  • Heat a large, heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat. Roll each dough ball out until it is about ¼ inch thick and approximately 6 inches wide. If you haven’t achieved the shape or thickness you want, don’t work. Just pick it up and stretch the disc with your hands. It doesn’t hap to be perfect. Naan is not a perfect circle with perfectly consistent thickness.
  • Brush the dough lightly with melted butter and place one at a time onto the hot skillet. Cook until large bubbles form on the surface, about 2 minutes. Flip the dough and cook the other side until golden, about 1-2 more minutes. Stack the cooked flat bread on a plate and cover with a towel to keep warm as you cook the remaining pieces.
  • Take your remaining melted butter, add your minced garlic and microwave for about 20 seconds. Generously brush your completed naans with this mixture. If you are adding chopped cilantro, now is the time.

Try the naan with hummus. Make individual pizzas with them. Use them like a pita to make a sandwich or taco. Naan will last in the refrigerator for 3 days. You can also freeze for up to three weeks.

I didn’t garnish the naan below so it doesn’t look fancy, but it was delicious!