Homemade Naan Bread Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the ingredient in naan? ›

Flour, yeast, milk, and butter make a tender dough that's simply seasoned with garlic and salt, but there is a wide array of naan bread flavors. You'll find everything from coconut and raisin-stuffed bread to saucy lamb-topped naan in restaurants and home kitchens around the world.

Naan gets its pleasing, chewy texture from the addition of full-fat yogurt. Without it, your finished naan won't have the proper consistency.

Naan doesn't get bubbles – Pan not hot enough, dough not moist enough or improper leavening. Naan turns hard – Toasting for too long, not enough moisture in the dough, toasting on low heat or not kneading the dough enough.

The bread flour gives the naan “chew”; the yogurt imparts a slight tang; and the use of a cast iron pan gives the bread its distinctive char and smokiness. (Cast iron pans get very hot, plus they retain heat much better than stainless steel or nonstick skillets, making them the ideal stand-in for the tandoor.)

2% milk works well, but I do not recommend using fat-free or skim milk. Full-fat Greek yogurt. The full-fat dairy in this naan recipe gives it a soft texture and rich taste. You can use a 2% or fat-free Greek yogurt, your bread may just not be as pillowy soft.

While it may contain more carbs and sugars, it earns its reputation as a healthy alternative with its relatively generous amounts of protein and fiber. Despite its high carb content, naan can be considered a more nutrient-dense alternative to white bread and pita.

Naan is a soft, pillowy flatbread traditionally baked in a tandoor. This cylindrical clay or metal oven, prevalent in restaurant kitchens across the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East, and Central Asia, reaches scorching temperatures, imparting a distinct smoky flavor to foods.

The naan should be chewy and slightly stretchy – but not sticky or gooey. If the middle is wet, that means the bread is not done and you should continue to cook it. Advice: All stoves are different as are all climates – it could just be that your bread needs more time on the pan.

Adding milk to bread dough makes it looser and softer while using sour cream, yogurt, or buttermilk makes the dough tighter. The tightening effect is caused by acidity. Fermented dairy products have a lower pH than milk or water.

Cook naan: Place a naan dough in the skillet and cook for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes until the underside is deep golden / slightly charred – the surface should get bubbly. Flip then cook the other side for 1 minute until the bubbles become deep golden brown.

How do you make naan dough rise faster? ›

Let your dough proof at a high temperature (80–90°F or 27–32°C) and high humidity (about 75%) for at least 1 to 3 hours, as heat and moisture will make your dough rise faster. Add more yeast, blend in the starter, or knead in more flour to help initiate rising.

You sprinkle water to keep the naan bread soft. Naan bread will naturally stiffen when not eaten straight from the pan, so eat it as soon as you possibly can.

On the daily basis, if consumed, it can give rise to many stomach disorders like constipation and irritable bowel syndrome. It can kill your appetite giving rise to many undesirable health issues. So, it should be avoided daily. You can eat occasionally.

Plain Naan Bread

The Big Plain Naan is a flatbread made from wheat flour and is thick on the outside with a fluffy inner texture and when it comes to different types of naan breads, plain naan is one of the most popular.

Kulcha naan bread is recognized for its flaky texture rather than as fluffy or soft as conventional Indian naan bread because it is made with refined white flour, such as Maida, instead of wheat flour. It is a well-liked side dish in Indian cuisine that isn't frequently seen in the West.

Unfortunately, most naan you'll get at Indian restaurants is not vegan, as the dough often contains yogurt (or milk) and it's brushed with melted butter. While there are a handful of store-bought vegan naan options, they are pretty lackluster and taste more like store-bought pita bread.

Naan bread can be part of a healthy diet, especially if you choose whole grain varieties. Naan bread contains vitamins and minerals like niacin, fiber, and iron, as well as fiber. It also is a good source of carbohydrates, which provide energy.

Unfortunately, the majority of naan isn't suitable for vegans as they often contain ghee (clarified butter), yoghurt, milk or even eggs. However, it's not impossible to find vegan-friendly naan in supermarkets, it's just worth double-checking ingredients lists.