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4 Secrets to Authentic Indian Cooking
Tips, tricks, and recipes for perfect Indian dishes
FREE EMAIL BONUS:
4 Secrets to Authentic Indian Cooking
Tips, tricks, and recipes for perfect Indian dishes
Naan Bread
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 bread 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.
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 naan 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!
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.
Tips on How to Make Naan
- 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 295 calories per serving.
What 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.
I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please share your photo in the Comments section and consider giving it a 5-star rating. I can’t wait to see your creations! Want more easy and delicious recipes? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.
Naan Bread (The Best Recipe!)
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1/4 oz. (10g) active dry yeast ((2 1/4 teaspoons) )
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon oil
- some oil (for greasing the skillet)
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- In 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, yogurt, salt, and oil, and 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 stove top or warm oven). The dough should double in size in about 1 hour.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal portions. Roll the dough to an 8” (230g) circle using a rolling pin.
- Heat 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 the dough is done.
- Brush with melted butter, and serve warm.
Video
Notes
- If the dough is sticky, add 2 more tablespoons of flour to bind the dough.
- Knead the dough with your hands until it becomes smooth and elastic, or use a stand mixer to speed up the process.
- Use a very hot skillet to cook the flatbread. It’s done when burnt brown “blisters” or spots appear.
- Watch the cooking video on this page for a step-by-step guide.
Great recipe! I use my bread machine dough cycle to mix, knead and rise the dough. Then form and cook as directed. If you use Greek style yogurt, you might need to add a bit more water to get the right consistency. Warning on the recommendation to use cast iron and high heat: on some stoves that’s too hot! I use medium high heat – like 7 on my stove dial. If I use high heat with my stove and cast iron, whatever I try to cook immediately turns to flames.
Could I use buttermilk instead of the yogurt? If so, what would the substitute quantity be? Thank you!
I didn’t use buttermilk so I don’t know if it’s a good substitute.
We make Indian food all the time especially vegetarian dishes. This naan is incredible, just as good as in the best restaurants in Deli. Thank you so much!
Thanks Elizabeth for trying my naan recipe. :)
can plain nonfat greek yogurt be used?
I think so.
Best naan recipe ever! So easy to make, don’t have to buy from Indian restauraunts anymore, so expensive. I paid $5 per piece.
Awesome thanks Courtney, please try more recipes on my site, they are all good and better than restaurants: https://rasamalaysia.com/recipe-index-gallery/
Super easy! First time making this recipe. Delicious! Can’t wait to plan a meal for this tasty treat! Great site. Keep those fabulous recipes coming!
My best naan recipe, I found the recipe on Google, after failing so many times with other recipes on Google search, which were mostly a disaster or turned out like tortilla instead of fluffy naan like what we get at Indian restaurants. I am so glad I finally tried this fail-proof and the easiest Naan recipe. The naan bread is just like buffets. Will be making them again and again.
Awesome, so happy to hear that you love my naan. Please try more recipes on my site: https://rasamalaysia.com/recipe-index-gallery/
How would you recommend storing these? We’re going to attempt to make our own naan for my daughter’s birthday party ?
You can freeze them by wrapping tightly with aluminum foil. Reheat before serving.
Can these be made ahead of time and then frozen and reheated?
Yes you can.
Excellent recipe. Thank you
Awesome!