Best Naan Indian Flatbread Recipes

NAAN (INDIAN FLATBREAD)

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the yeast, sugar and 1/4 cup warm water (110 to 115 degrees). Let stand until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Place 4 1/2 cups flour, the salt and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a dough blade or in mixer with a dough hook. Mix to blend. Add yeast mixture, milk, yogurt, egg, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and 3/4 cup warm water. Knead dough until smooth and elastic, 2 to 3 minutes in a processor, 5 to 8 minutes in a mixer, 8 to 10 minutes by hand. Dough should be soft but not too sticky. Add flour as needed.
• Place dough in a large, lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, then a kitchen towel. Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Punch down the dough and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll them into balls, place them on a lightly floured baking sheet and cover with a slightly damp kitchen towel. Let rise until doubled in size, 40 to 60 minutes.
• If using a tandoor, heat it to about 450 degrees. If using the oven, place a pizza stone on the bottom rack and heat oven to 450 degrees. If using a barbecue grill, set it up for direct grilling and heat to medium-high.
• Roll out a dough ball on a lightly floured work surface into a disk about 6 inches in diameter. Roll and stretch one end to make a teardrop shape. Brush off any excess flour. Repeat with remaining dough.
• If using a tandoor, drape one piece of dough over the round cloth pillow called a gadhi. Press the bread onto the hot clay wall. Cook the naan until the top is puffed, blistered and browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a skewer, gently pry the bread off the tandoor wall, taking care not to scratch the clay. Brush the top of the bread with ghee or melted butter, then place in a cloth-lined basket for serving. Repeat with remaining dough.
• If using an oven, turn on the broiler. Lay 1 or 2 pieces of dough on the pizza stone. Cook until the bottoms are browned and the tops blister, puff and are lightly toasted, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from oven, brush tops with ghee or melted butter, and place in a cloth-lined basket for serving. Repeat with remaining dough.
• If using the grill, brush and oil the grate. Lightly brush top of dough with butter and place butter-side down on grate a few at a time (do not crowd the grate). Grill until the bottoms are browned and the tops start to puff and blister, 1 to 2 minutes. Lightly brush the tops with a little butter. Invert bread, and grill the other side until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a cloth-lined basket, brushing tops of each with any remaining butter.

SOFT GLUTEN FREE NAAN BREAD (INDIAN FLATBREAD)

Steps:

• If using milk, whether cow's or rice milk, with vinegar, mix and set aside for 15 minutes until thick. If it does not reach the consistency of butter milk, use less than 1/2 cup.
• Add warm water to a medium sized bowl; add sugar or honey; stir to dissolve; add yeast; stir; and set aside until frothy, about 5 minutes. If it does not bubble start over with fresh yeast.
• In a large bowl, add remaining dry ingredients; whisk thoroughly.
• Add buttermilk, beaten eggs, to yeast mixture; whisk well.
• Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients; using a rubber spatula, stir until it reaches a soft dough the consistency of creamy mashed potatoes; allow to rest for 20 minutes.
• Scatter 2 tablespoons potato starch to a clean, flat surface; scoop 1/3 cup at a time of dough; add to floured surface; knead with dusted hands; shape into a disk as wide as your spatula.
• Using a wide, thin spatula, transfer to preheated cast iron skillet.
• Using the back of your fingers or a pastry roller dusted with starch, immediately flatten and distribute dough in pan working from the center, moving outwards.
• Fry on each side for approximately 2 1/2 minutes; coat tops of fully cooked naan with salted butter.
• Repeat with remaining dough adding additional potato starch as needed for kneading.
• Serve warm and store uncooked dough covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

NAAN (INDIAN FLATBREAD)

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine yeast, sugar, and 1/4 cup warm (110 to 115 degrees F) water; let stand until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Into the bowl of your food processor, place 4 1/2 cups flour, salt, and baking powder; fit with the dough blade (or use a stand mixer with the dough hook) and mix to combine.
• Add in the yeast mixture, milk, yogurt, egg, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, and 3/4 cups warm water and knead until smooth and elastic (2 to 3 minutes - food processor; 5 to 8 minutes - mixer; 8 to 10 minutes - by hand); dough should be soft, but not too sticky, so add flour as needed.
• Lightly oil a large bowl, add dough, turning to coat, then cover bowl with plastic wrap, then a clean kitchen towel; let dough rise, in a warm place, until doubled, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Punch dough down and divide into 8 equal pieces, which you will roll into a ball and place on a lightly floured baking sheet; cover with a damp kitchen towel, and let rise until doubled, about 40 to 60 minutes more.
• If using a tandoor, heat it to 450 degrees F (if using your oven, place a pizza stone on bottom rack and heat to 450; or the grill should be st for direct heating at medium-high heat).
• On a lightly floured work surface, roll each dough ball into a disk about 5 inches in diameter; roll and stretch one end to form a teardrop shape.
• If using a tandoor, drape a piece of dough over the round cloth gadhi, then press bread onto the hot clay wall; cook until the top puffs, gets blishtered and browned, 1 to 2 minutes; gently pry off clay wall and spread with ghee.
• If using the oven, turn on the broiler, lay 1 or 2 pieces of dough on the pizza stone, and cook until the bottoms are browned and the tops blister and puff and are lightly toasted, 2 to 4 minutes; remove from oven and spread with ghee.
• If using the grill, oil the grate lightly, then lightly brush the dough with butter, place buttered side on grill and cook until the bottom is browned and the top is puffed 1 to 2 minutes; lightly butter the top of the dough, then flip and grill the other side until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes.

SOFT GLUTEN FREE NAAN (INDIAN FLATBREAD)

Steps:

• Combine warm water, honey, and yeast in a medium-size bowl; and set aside until frothy, about 5 minutes. In a separate, large bowl, add rice flour, starch, gum, salt and baking powder (omit baking powder when making thin tortillas); whisk thoroughly, and set aside. Add buttermilk, oil, and beaten eggs, to yeast mixture; and whisk well. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, stir until it reaches a soft dough, the consistency of creamy mashed potatoes. Allow the batter to rest for 20 minutes. Place a sheet of plastic wrap on a flat surface. Add up to 1/3 cup of the dough and pat out to a thin patty, using starch-dusted hands. Add additional potato starch, as needed. Preheat a heavy skillet over medium heat, preferably a cast iron pan. Transfer the patty to the skillet using the plastic wrap. Avoid touching the plastic wrap on the skillet. Fry for 1 ½ to 2 ½ minutes on each side and until patches of golden color show up. If desired, using a stick of butter, coat each side and set aside.