Naan

Naan is the soft, airy Indian yeast bread that's impossible to resist fresh from the oven. The dough is mixed with yogurt, which makes the crumb extra tender and light, and baked at very high heat so the bread bubbles up and gets dark, crispy spots. Finally, it's brushed with melted ghee or butter and garlic, which makes each piece shiny and fragrant. Naan is the perfect accompaniment to curries like chicken tikka masala and paneer butter masala – or simply for dipping in a good sauce. This recipe makes 6 pieces.

• Cuisine: Indian
• Time: 30 min. + 1.5 hours proofing
• Servings: 6 pieces
• Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Dissolve 1 tsp instant yeast and 1 tsp sugar in 1.5 dl lukewarm water, and let stand for 10 minutes until foamy.
2. Mix 400 g wheat flour with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp baking powder in a bowl. Add the yeast mixture, 1.5 dl yogurt, and 2 tbsp neutral oil.
3. Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes until it is soft, pliable, and only slightly sticky. Form it into a ball, cover the bowl, and let the dough proof in a warm place for about 1.5 hours until doubled in size.
4. Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces and form them into balls. Roll or stretch each ball into an oval naan about ½ cm thick.
5. Heat a cast iron pan or a heavy-bottomed pan to very high heat. Place a naan on the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes until large bubbles form and brown spots appear on the underside.
6. Flip the bread and cook for another 1-2 minutes until thoroughly cooked and spotted on both sides. Keep the finished naan warm under a clean tea towel.
7. Melt 40 g ghee or butter and stir in 2 cloves of finely chopped garlic. Brush each warm naan with the garlic butter, sprinkle with fresh coriander leaves if desired, and serve immediately.

Tips

• The pan must be smoking hot – it's the high heat that gives naan its characteristic bubbles and burnt spots.
• If you have a pizza stone, you can bake the breads in the oven at the highest temperature for an even more authentic result.
• Add a little nigella or black cumin seeds to the dough for extra flavor and the classic appearance.
• Naan tastes best freshly baked, but can be briefly warmed on a hot pan the next day.