Homemade Naan Bread isn’t just for Indian curries. This week I am going to show you a whole new way to think again about what you can use Naan for. We are going to make: Naan Pizza, an Apple and Chicken Naan sandwich with a Honey Mustard Dressing, and Toasted Naan with Avocado and Hard Boiled Egg. But wait there is more, I saved the best to the last, Strawberries and Chocolate Tahini on Naan. Are you hungry for Naan yet?
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Key Takeaways:
- Naan Bread Versatility: Naan is not just for curries; it can be used creatively in recipes like Naan Pizza, Chicken and Apple Sandwiches, Avocado & Egg Toast, and even a dessert with strawberries and chocolate tahini!
- Simple Homemade Naan: Making naan at home is easy and requires just a few simple steps—preparing a starter, mixing the dough, and baking on a hot surface.
- Tandoor Alternative: While traditional naan is cooked in a Tandoor oven, you can achieve great results by baking on a preheated oven steel, pizza stone, or heavy cast iron skillet.
- Starter is Key: The dough starts with a wet starter (or poolish), which needs at least 4 hours to rest and become bubbly before adding the remaining ingredients.
- Rest and Chill: After mixing the dough, it should rest for about an hour or overnight in the fridge, giving it a chance to develop more flavor and texture.
- Perfect Bake: Preheat your oven to 500°F for an hour with the oven steel, then bake the naan for 2-4 minutes until golden brown. Don’t forget to brush with melted butter before serving!
What is Naan?
Naan is a flatbread with leavening that is baked in an oven. It is enjoyed throughout Western Asia, South Asia, Indonesia, Myanmar, and the Caribbean. It is used to scoop up food (curries) or folded and stuffed with meat, vegetables, or cheese. Naan is usually cooked in a Tandoor oven. I don’t have a Tandoor oven, so I cook the Naan on a preheated thick oven steel in a hot 500-degree oven. A heavy cast iron skillet or pizza stone will also work for baking your homemade naan bread.
How To Make Homemade Naan Bread
Naan is fairly simple to make. However, this is not a no-knead bread. A stand mixer is preferred. However, the dough can also be worked by hand. Homemade Naan bread is made in 3 stages.
Stage 1: The Starter
- Make the starter or Poolish: The starter is a fairly wet sponge 0r dough made from flour, water, and yeast. Once the starter is mixed up, it needs to rest for at least 4 hours before adding the rest of the ingredients.
Stage 2: The Main Event
- Once the starter is bubbly and rested it is time to add the rest of the ingredients. Flour, both all-purpose and either whole wheat or pumpernickel. Yogurt, and salt. Now it is time to add the dough hook to your stand mixer and mix on medium for 5 minutes. The dough will be sticky and may cling to the bottom of the bowl. Once the 5 minutes are up, divide the bread into 8 or 12 equal portions. Eight portions will make very large pieces of Naan. I sometimes divide it into 16 portions. Form each portion into a dough ball; cover and let rest for an hour or overnight in the fridge. The dough for Homemade Naan Bread will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Stage 3: Bake and Eat
- Before baking the Homemade Naan Bread, preheat your oven to 500 degrees with the oven steel inside the oven. To make sure the steel is hot, allow an hour to preheat the oven.
- Once the oven is hot, stretch a piece of dough out to about 1/4 of an inch thick and bake it directly on the Steel for 2 minutes. Flip over and bake another 1-2 minutes. Brush on some melted butter and serve hot and fresh.
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FAQ:
Q: Can I make naan without a stand mixer?
A: Yes! While a stand mixer is recommended, you can also knead the dough by hand. Just be prepared for a bit more effort.
Q: Can I substitute yogurt in naan dough?
A: Yogurt helps to create a soft texture, but if you don’t have it, you can try using sour cream or buttermilk as a substitute.
Q: How long will the dough keep in the fridge?
A: The dough can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days, allowing you to make naan whenever you’re ready.
Q: Can I freeze naan dough?
A: Yes, you can freeze the dough after it has rested in portioned balls. Just let it thaw in the fridge overnight before baking.
Q: How can I make naan without a pizza stone or oven steel?
A: A heavy cast iron skillet works well as an alternative. Preheat it and cook the naan on the skillet as you would on a hot surface.
Q: Can I use whole wheat flour for naan?
A: Yes, you can use whole wheat flour or a mix of whole wheat and all-purpose flour to make naan. It will have a denser texture, but it will still taste delicious!
Homemade Naan Recipe with video.
Equipment
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Ingredients
Poolish or Starter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour(240g)
- ¼ tp instant yeast
- 1 cup water(227g)
Naan
- 1¾ cup all-purpose flour(210g)
- ½ cup white whole wheat or pumpernickel flour(56g)
- 1½ tsp salt
- 3/4 cup plain yogurt(170g) don't use non-fat. whole milk yogurt is best.
Instructions
Make the Poolish
- Mix together the flour, water, and yeast for the Poolish
- Cover and let rest for 4 hours. Can also let it rest overnight in the fridge.
Make the naan
- Add the rest of the flour, salt, and yogurt to the Polish.
- Knead in a stand mixer with the dough hook until smooth. About 5 minutes.
- Cover and rest in the refrigerator for an hour or as long as overnight.
- When you are ready to bake the Naan. Preheat an oven steel to 500-degrees. Make sure the steel is hot. I allow an hour in the oven to completely heat the steel.
- Divide the dough into 8 pieces of dough. Stretch each piece out into a round shape about 8-10 inches in diameter and bake on the steel.
- Bake about 2 minutes on each side or until browned. The naan may bubble up a bit. This is normal. Brush with some garlic butter and serve hot.
