Making your own naan at home is much easier than you think. Soft pillowy naan ready to sop up any curry gravy or perhaps soup. When I do serve naan with curry, I omit the rosemary. Although traditionally served with an Indian curry, there are no rules as to what you serve them with. I love to use them as a flat bread, a quick pizza base or add an assortment of fillings and use them as a wrap. Just a note on flour: flour can vary season to season and where the wheat was grown. I always will err on the side of caution and hold back about three-quarters of a cup of flour. It is best to add flour to a wet dough than adding liquid to a dry dough. So, add the reserved flour bit by bit until you have a soft, pliable dough.
3/4cupfull-fat yogurt, or dairy-free alternative*180ml
4cupsself-rising flour, approximately (approx. 480g)
1teaspoonsea salt
olive oil for brushing the naan
1/4cupbutter(62g)
2garlic clovescrushed
1tablespoonchopped fresh rosemaryoptional
Combine the milk and honey together in a microwave-safe jug until warm or use a small saucepan to heat on the stove – you want a temperature of 110°F/44°C – don’t have it too hot or you’ll kill the yeast.
Pour the milk mixture into a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook (if you don’t have an electric mixer, you can do this by hand). Add the yeast, give it a stir then let it sit, undisturbed, for 5 minutes until the mixture begins to form bubbles on the surface.
Add the yogurt, about 3 cups of flour and the salt. Mix until the dough is soft and sticky, adding more of the remaining flour as needed. The dough should still be tacky. Turn the dough onto a floured counter using floured hands & knead the dough into a ball. Place in a large, greased bowl; cover with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place for 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces - a scale kitchen scale helps. Roll each piece out to about 8 inches (20cm) in length and about 5 inches (12.5cm) wide.
Heat a large cast iron or heavy-based fry over medium-high heat. Brush both sides of a piece of naan with olive oil and place into the hot pan; cover. Cook for about 1 minute or until bubbles have formed over the top of the dough. Turn naan and cook for 1 to 2 minutes minute until toasted on the bottom. Keep naan warm in a very low temp oven, wrapped in a tea towel, while you cook the remaining dough.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and rosemary and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until garlic is softened and fragrant; remove from heat. Brush both sides of each cooked naan with melted butter mixture. Serve warm. Makes 10 naan.
Notes
Note: The milk in any bread recipe helps to give it a soft texture, if you can't consume dairy products, then use dairy alternatives although please note, I have not tested it with anything other than dairy products.