Naan is an Indian recipe; it’s a type of flat bread.
Traditionally they are baked inside a very hot clay tandoor oven, with charcoal or wood fire.
The naan are stuck to the inside of the oven just like the picture below.
The tandoor oven retains very high heat, up to 900°F and hence fills the inside of the flat bread with air pockets and bakes them to perfection.
Image Credit: Best of India Restaurant.
In a modern day kitchen, we do not have a tandoor oven, but you can make naan at home with a hot cast-iron skillet on the stove stop, or bake in the oven.
My recipe is made on a stove top, using a very hot cast-iron skillet. The naan turn out extremely delicious, soft, puffy, airy, with the beautiful golden brown spots on the surface.
They taste just like the best Indian buffet restaurants!
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Frequently Asked Questions about Naan:
Is Naan Bread Healthy?
Yes, it is super healthy. My recipe is quick and easy, fail-proof and cooked on a skillet. You do not need a tandoor oven!
Does it Have Eggs?
There is no eggs in the recipe. Vegan can’t eat them as this recipe calls for yogurt, which is not vegan-friendly.
The Origin of Naan
It originated from Iranian. However, different countries have its own version of the bread. It’s a staple in Iran, many middle eastern countries, the Indian subcontinent countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, etc.
The Difference Between Naan and Roti
They are both flat breads but different because of the ingredients used. Roti, for example, chapati is made with whole wheat flour and there is no yeast.
Naan is made with all purpose flour and you will need yeast to make the dough.
Tips on How to Make Naan
- First, you want to make the dough by combining the yeast and flour together. Knead the dough with hand or using a stand mixer and then rest to double the dough in size.
- Divide the dough into 8 balls. Heat up a cast-iron skillet on high heat to make naan.
- The high heat makes the dough rises and fills the middle part of the bread with an air pocket. It’s done when burnt brown “blisters” or spots appear, just like my pictures.
- Brush the fresh-off-the-skillet naan with some melted salted butter and top them with cilantro leaves.
How Many Calories Per Serving?
This recipe is only 95 calories per serving.
What Dishes to Serve with Naan?
They are great with Indian curries with sauce, for example: chicken tikka masala or butter chicken.
For a wholesome Indian dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
Pairs well with:
Naan Recipe
Naan - easy homemade naan recipe using a cast-iron skillet. Soft, puffy, with beautiful brown blisters just like Indian restaurants.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1/4 oz active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
- 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon oil
- some oil, for greasing the skillet
- 3 tablespoons melted salted butter
Directions
- 1In a small bowl, add the sugar, warm water, and yeast together. Stir to combine well. The yeast should be activated when it becomes foamy, about 10 minutes. Transfer the flour to a flat surface and make a well in the middle. Add the yeast mixture, yoghurt, and oil, knead the dough until the surface becomes smooth and shiny, about 10 minutes. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rise in a warm place (for example: beside the stovetop or warm oven). The dough should double in size, about 1 hour.
- 2Divide the dough into 8 equal portions. Roll the dough to a 8” circle using a rolling spin.
- 3Heat up a skillet (cast-iron preferred) over high heat and lightly grease the surface with some oil to avoid the dough from sticking to the skillet. Place the dough on the skillet. When it puffs up and bubbles and burnt spots appear, flip it over and cook the other side. Repeat the same until all dough are done.
- 4Brush the naan with the melted butter, serve warm.
Recipe Notes
If the dough is sticky, add extra 2 more tablespoons of flour to bind the dough.
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Caroline
Thank you for posting this recipe! I very much want to know how to make naan properly, but I am having a lot more trouble than the other commenters. My dough was too sticky to knead properly, and I had to add a lot more flour to be able to roll it out. Could you please tell me the weight of the flour you used, not the cups, so I can be exact in the amount? Perhaps I am measuring it incorrectly. Also, do you have to flour your surfaces a lot to roll them out? Thank you!
Rasa Malaysia
Caroline, did you use American measuring cups? You will need 10 oz of all purpose flour. You just need a little flour to dust the surface. Please check the video in the post. It shouldn’t be overly sticky. If it is, you had wrong measurement.
Caroline
Thank you so much for your response! I was using American cups, thank you for the weight measurement! It was DELICIOUS
Rasa Malaysia
Thanks Caroline!
Ihazelynz
Tried this recipe this evening..Naan so fluffy and light..luv it. Thanks for the recipe!
(Had it with mutton curry)
Darien
Thank you for the recipe. My DD loves eating naan for dinner. I fact that’s the only thing she can eat everyday and yet not be bored. I have been using store bought frozen ones for the past year or so. This recipe is certainly far better than the store ones. I had some trouble with the salt though. Looks like, for us, brushing with salted butter was not enough. Can I add salt along with the yogurt before mixing the dough? Will that slow down the ‘rise’? Please let me know if you have any suggestions.
Oh..and I used 1 cup whole wheat flour and 1 and a quarter cup all purpose flour. It still felt very soft and fluffy. Thanks again for the recipe.
Fahmida
Hello. I tried this on Sunday and the family loved it so I’ve decided to make it again today. Thank you so much
Rasa Malaysia
Thanks!
JennaO
What type of oil do you use in this recipe?
Rasa Malaysia
Vegetable oil