Soft and Fluffy Homemade Naan

Ingredients

• 2 cup Bread flour or strong flour
• 0.5 cup Warm water (Warm, not hot)
• 0.333 cup Plain full-fat yogurt
• 1 tsp Instant yeast
• 2 tsp Sugar
• 0.75 tsp Salt
• 2 tbsp Melted unsalted butter (Melted and completely cooled before adding. It can be replaced with 2 tbsp (30 g) neutral oil.)
• Melted butter or garlic butter (For brushing over the hot naan; amount to taste.)
• Chopped parsley or cilantro (Optional, for finishing; amount to taste.)

Steps

1. 1

   Place the warm water, yogurt, sugar, instant yeast, and melted butter in a large bowl. Make sure the butter has cooled completely; if it is too hot, it can kill the yeast and prevent the dough from rising.

2. 2

   Add the bread flour and salt. Mix until a dough forms. It does not need to be perfectly smooth at this point.

3. 3

   Knead the dough by hand or with a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook until cohesive and smoother, approximately 5 to 8 minutes.

4. 4

   Lightly oil a clean bowl and place the dough inside. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean cloth and let it rise for approximately 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.

5. 5

   Once the dough has doubled in volume, gently stretch it to deflate it slightly. At this point, it should feel smoother and less sticky.

6. 6

   Transfer the dough to a work surface and divide it into 6 equal portions to make 6 medium naan. You can also divide it into 4 portions for larger naan.

7. 7

   Shape each portion into a ball. Cover the balls and let them rest for 15 to 20 minutes so the gluten can relax, making them easier to stretch.

8. 8

   While the dough balls are resting, start heating a heavy or cast-iron skillet over high heat. The skillet should be very hot before cooking the dough.

9. 9

   Stretch or roll out each ball with a rolling pin into a circle or oval of even thickness.

10. 10

    Place one naan in the very hot skillet. Cook it for approximately 2 minutes, until many bubbles appear and the underside has golden-brown spots.

11. 11

    Flip the naan and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more, until it puffs up and is browned in spots. Repeat with the remaining dough.

12. 12

    As you remove each naan from the skillet, place it on a plate and cover it with a clean kitchen towel to keep it soft and warm.

13. 13

    While still hot, generously brush each naan with melted butter or, preferably, garlic butter. Finish with optional chopped parsley or cilantro and serve immediately.

Notes

You can double or triple the recipe to prepare a large quantity. Naan can be enjoyed on its own or served with butter chicken. Keep cooked naan covered with a clean cloth to prevent it from drying out.

Nutrition per serving

• bread
• side dish
• vegetarian
• South Asian cuisine
• skillet-cooked
• yeasted
• homemade