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Curious about what is in an Indian cook’s pantry? I made a free printable just for you. If you are just diving into Indian cooking, this Indian pantry listwill be helpful to you. You probably already have some of these ingredients. Pro-tip, spices and sometimes vegetables, in an Indian market are much cheaper than at the supermarket.
An easy version of a soft, pillowy flatbread made in a food processor. Homemade Naan is my favorite flat bread and so easy.
For a Naan recipe with yogurt and butter check out the Butter Naan Recipe post.
Why you should make homemade Naan bread
It’s easy, cheaper than store bought and waaayyyyyy bettah! How’s that for an answer? Seriously, at least try it.
Every time I make this, I ask myself, ‘Self, why don’t you make this everyday?’. It’s THAT good.
You can also make an extra batch of dough while you have the food processor out and refrigerate the extra dough for tomorrow. Just be sure to rise it the next day as if you just got it out of the food processor. It may take longer because the yeast needs to come to room temp before it does its magic.
What is Naan?
Naan is a flatbread that most likely originated in the Middle East or India. Different variations have evolved. Yeast is a common leavener but baking soda has been used somewhat in recent years. Milk or yogurt may be added for flavor. You may also season the dough with spices.
The bread is common in Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine and is growing in popularity in the U.S. and Great Britain. It is typically served with dinner or used as a snack.
You can make a Naan Burger, Naan Wrap, Naanwich or smother with butter and jam, my favorite. You can use it like pizza dough and make a pizza. I like to eat it with butter and jam and have it with my tea.
The bread is soft, pillowy and slightly chewy. Kids LOVE it!
For some robust cheesey goodness, try dipping Naan in some Welsh Rarebit. Live a little.
If you create this little gem, let us know. Take a picture of it and #FusionCraftiness so we can all see on Instagram. Do you have any other uses for Naan? Let us know by leaving a comment.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to rate the recipe and comment below! Take a picture and tag us @FusionCraftiness #FusionCraftiness on Instagram for a chance to be featured in our Insta Stories:)
Easy Indian Naan Bread Recipe
Yield: 8 Naan
Prep Time: 1 hour30 minutes
Cook Time: 16 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour46 minutes
An easy and tasty authentic Indian bread. Make this easy Naan in your food processor.
Ingredients
1/2 cup warm water
1 tsp yeast
1 tsp sugar
1/4 cup olive oil + more for frying
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour (277 grams)
1 tsp salt
Instructions
Place first three ingredients in a small bowl and set aside until foamy, about 10 minutes.
In another small bowl add oil and egg, beat lightly to emulsify the egg.
In a food processor add flour and salt, pulse to blend salt.
Add yeast water when ready at a slow stream while blending.
Add the oil and egg mixture in the same manner, slowly until the dough comes apart from the side. Stop adding the oil mixture at this point. Blend for another 30 seconds.
Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, kneading until smooth. Place in a large bowl that has been oiled with cooking spray or oil, flip and cover with plastic. Place in a warm place to rise, until double in size, about 1 hour.
Roll out dough onto floured surface.
Divide into 8 pieces evenly and keep under a kitchen towel or plastic to keep from drying out.
Preheat an oiled skillet over medium heat.
Take each dough and roll out into a circle, about 1/4 inch thick.
Cook in skillet, flipping when golden brown on one side, cook until other side is done. Repeat with remaining dough.
Brush with melted butter or olive oil (optional)
Notes
I like to weigh my flour with baked goods. I live at high altitude and flour can get packed down so my recipes may not turn out like yours. Weighing is the most accurate method with flour.
Hence, they also have distinct textures. Plain naan is made with all-purpose flour, yeast, and yogurt, giving it a soft and pillowy texture. Roti or chapati, on the other hand, is an unleavened bread made only with whole wheat flour and water, making it tender yet slightly flaky like a flour tortilla.
Simply put, naan is more nutrient-dense than pita or white bread. While it may contain more carbs and sugars, it earns its reputation as a healthy alternative with its relatively generous amounts of protein and fiber.
In the modern days, yeast & other leavening agents have replaced the bread starter. So most restaurants either use yeast or another leavening agent like baking powder & baking soda. If you order naan in Indian restaurants you may not find the texture & flavor to be the same in every place.
OR just make a double batch of this naan so you can use one whole egg! 3. Flour – Bread flour makes the softest, fluffiest naan. But all-purpose/plain flour is very nearly as good.
Naan bread can be part of a healthy diet, especially if you choose whole grain varieties. Naan bread contains vitamins and minerals like niacin, fiber, and iron, as well as fiber. It also is a good source of carbohydrates, which provide energy.
Naan has a thicker, fluffier texture because it is made with yogurt. Pita is thinner bread made with less ingredients (flour, water, salt, etc) and no yogurt. Naan is cooked in a skillet while Pita is usually baked at very high temperatures in the oven.
The term "naan" comes from Persian nân (Persian: نان), a generic word for any kind of bread. This word was borrowed into a range of languages in the Indian subcontinent and Central Asia, where it came to refer to a specific type of bread. The term then spread around the globe along with the style of bread itself.
Most naan recipes start with all-purpose flour, salt, active dry yeast, and water. Yogurt or milk is often (though not always) added, and occasionally egg is added to the dough. The dough is kneaded by hand and then set aside to rise.
And like those fluffy spuds, this soft flatbread has little nutritional value. Most naan recipes call for Greek yogurt to give it that airy texture. But that's more than offset by less healthy ingredients like white flour, sugar, and oil.
From health perspective, flat breads made of whole wheat flour (roti/paratha/chapati/phulka) are better than the ones made with all-purpose flour (naan & kulcha).
If you don't see the dough puffing up, you should turn up the heat under the griddle. Take the naan with thongs and turn on an adjacent gas burner. Flip the naan on top of this gas burner and leave until it's nicely charred.
One of the most popular Indian delicacies that we know of; curries are creamy with the right amount of spicy, curries pair perfectly with warm, fluffy naan.
You can add sour cream for similar consistency, though it change to taste, but I think the change would taste good. You could use milk instead, though use less that you would of yogurt, with the milk add some dry milk.
Naan is traditionally made with all-purpose (wheat) flour, which is not gluten-free. But the gluten provides a stretchy element that can be tricky to replicate with gluten-free alternatives.
Unfortunately, most naan you'll get at Indian restaurants is not vegan, as the dough often contains yogurt (or milk) and it's brushed with melted butter. While there are a handful of store-bought vegan naan options, they are pretty lackluster and taste more like store-bought pita bread.
Unfortunately, the majority of naan isn't suitable for vegans as they often contain ghee (clarified butter), yoghurt, milk or even eggs. However, it's not impossible to find vegan-friendly naan in supermarkets, it's just worth double-checking ingredients lists.
Naan bread is soft, fluffy, and chewy, whereas pita bread is denser with a slightly crispy texture on the outside. Naan bread also has a buttery flavor due to the ghee and buttermilk in the dough, which adds an extra dimension of flavor compared to pita bread's more neutral taste.
Introduction: My name is Margart Wisoky, I am a gorgeous, shiny, successful, beautiful, adventurous, excited, pleasant person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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