Light, hearty, delicious
Original Indian Naan: Recipe for bread from the pan
Aromatic, light and crispy. Naan bread tastes good as an accompaniment to curries, soups, stews or as part of the mezze.
© bhofack2
Naan is known for its unmistakable consistency, the Indian pan bread is very popular. No wonder: it tastes warm and fresh from the oven, light and soft, but still crispy. The recipe.
India and naan bread go together like salt and pepper. The fluffy pan bread can be found everywhere in the country, and in this country it is on almost every menu in Indian restaurants. No wonder, after all, the naan from northern India is versatile. It can be prepared quickly with a few inexpensive ingredients and is very tasty.
The recipe for Indian naan bread is similar to that of Arabic flatbread, but there are regional differences. Some Indian bakers use yeast, others sourdough or even baking soda. Naan is traditionally made with yoghurt – this is how it gets its characteristic light, light consistency and soft crust.
Naan – a traditional bread
Naan is a type of bread that is mainly eaten in South and Central Asia as an accompaniment to hot dishes – in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh as well as in Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. The word “naan” originally comes from Persian and means “bread”. The name later spread in the neighboring languages on the Indian subcontinent and among the Turkic peoples of Central Asia.
Naan is preferably served with dishes such as curry or stew, as it can absorb the sauce perfectly thanks to its loose and fluffy texture. Unlike other Indian breads, naan is made from leavened dough. Yoghurt, yeast or baking soda are traditionally responsible for acidification. Today, the basic dough usually consists of wholemeal wheat flour, the so-called Atta, which is known for making dough particularly elastic. This means that the flatbread can be rolled out very thinly before baking.
Naan bread as a replacement for cutlery?
Traditionally, the dough cakes are baked over open embers in a tandoor. A tandoor is a special ember oven heated with charcoal or gas. For baking, the shaped dough cakes are placed on the walls of the hot oven. This is how the slightly burned areas are created – so typical of the naan. As soon as the breads come out of the oven, they are traditionally coated with ghee or normal butter.
Good to know: In many Asian countries, naan bread is not only a filling side dish, but also often serves as a replacement for cutlery. To do this, you break off a piece of the dough and reach for the food in question. The right hand is primarily used, as in many cultures in Asia and Africa – including India – the left hand is considered unclean.
Versatile in use
Naan is delicious and versatile: fluffy and light on the inside and crispy on the outside. In addition to warm dishes such as curries, the aromatic flatbread is mainly served with Indian dips, chutneys and sauces. It is also suitable for filling or as a base for a wrap. When filled with pieces of meat, lettuce and various sauces, for example, it shows itself at its best. In Great Britain there is now even a naan burger – the flatbread replaces the typical burger buns.
According to Indian tradition, however, naan is simply torn up and shared casually in large groups – it tastes best this way, enjoyed together with loved ones.
Recipe for an original Indian naan bread
ingredients
- 150 ml of lukewarm milk
- 4 teaspoons of sugar
- 2 teaspoons of dry yeast
- 500 g flour, type 405
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- 1 egg (size L)
- 150 milliliters yogurt (full fat)
- 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil (for example rapeseed oil; alternative: melted butter)
- flour for rolling
preparation
- Pour the milk into a bowl and stir in a teaspoon of sugar and the yeast. Let rest in a warm place for about 20 minutes until the yeast has dissolved and the mixture becomes frothy.
- Put the flour in a mixing bowl and mix in half a teaspoon of salt and baking powder. Add three teaspoons of sugar.
- First lightly whip the egg and then the yoghurt.
- Add the milk with the dissolved yeast, the beaten yoghurt and the beaten egg as well as two tablespoons of vegetable oil to the dry ingredients.
- Knead all ingredients for ten minutes until the dough is smooth and pliable.
- Put a little oil in a bowl and roll the ball of dough around in it. Then cover the bowl with cling film and let the dough rise in a warm place for about an hour until it has doubled.
- Knead the dough again, divide it into six equal sized balls and cover with a cloth.
- Roll out the first ball thinly with a little flour.
- Turn the stove top on and let a large non-stick pan get hot.
- Put the flatbread in the pan without oil and fry on one side until it bubbles.
- Turn over and brown the other side briefly.
- Serve warm!