Friday 9 March 2012

FOOD: Homemade Naan Bread

As you can tell I'm getting far more adventurers in my baking exploits - hence two baking posts in a week. Yet this baking was born out of necessity. America lacks naan bread. Stores don't sell it and unless you have a membership to Costco or live near an ethnic store chances are you'll only see it in an Indian [which metropolitan Detroit lacks in comparison to Thai restaurants]. We eat curry at least once a week so it was time to investigate making it myself. I don't have much luck with yeast, nevertheless this recipe seemed to work but there are plenty of non-yeast recipes on the internet. It takes around an hour to an hour and a half altogether, a lot of which is spent watching a timer, but its straight forward and makes eight tea plate sized naan breads. The basis is taken from this recipe website, but I adjusted it here and there.


WHAT YOU NEED;
1 cup of warm water
1 tablespoon of sugar
2 tablespoons of active dry yeast
1 teaspoon of salt
3 cups of all purpose flour plus extra for coating worktops and rolling pin.
A dribble of oil

HOW TO BAKE;
  • Combine the water, sugar and yeast [after following the instructions to make your yeast active] into a bowl and leave to settle for five minutes.
  • Add the salt and flour into the wet mixture, mixing until a dough is formed. Tip out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. You should then knead your dough around 20 times. 
The dough mixture after being left for 40 minutes in an oil lined bowl
  • Place your worked dough into a oil lined bowl. Take a tea towel and soak in warm water. After wringing out the towel, place it over the bowl and leave to stand for 30 to 45 minutes in a warm place. Your dough will settle and will rise [but don't expect huge amounts of rising because it won't happen]. 
  • Turn your dough out onto the floured work surface, gently rolling the dough with a rolling pin and divide into eight [or four for larger breads] sections. 
Rolling out the dough after dividing it into eight sections.
  •  In turn roll out each section until they are around 3mm in thickness. 
  • Place the breads into the grill for 1-2 minutes on each side, or until hardening and turning golden. In turn you can fry them in a very hot pan [as hot as you would have it for making pancakes] with a small amount of oil. Fry for 2-3 minutes on each side.  
  •  Eat straight away or leave to cool on a cooling rack, quickly reheat in the grill or frying pan when required. 

And as for how they taste? Mighty, mighty good. We shared them with our friend who came over for curry and we ended up being totally stuffed and we all had empty plates - that's the true testing of something tasting good and I would really recommend you trying this if you have the time.

29 comments:

  1. Looks amazing,
    whenever i work with yeast it nearly always fails ha

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    1. Yeah I tried to make some bread once and it just didn't work. Twice I tried so I thought it was just me. But this way seemed to work perfectly.

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  2. num, num, num! thanks for the recipe girl ;)
    xo TJ

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  3. Ooh they look yummy :) I love naan bread but always wondered how to make it. Thanks for the recipe :)

    Charlee
    xxx

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    1. I really did think there would be more ingredients and more to making it. Most of the recipe is just waiting for the yeast.

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  4. I'm so going to try these! I love nan bread but tend to make chapatis. Yours look gorgeous. x

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  5. My grocery store carries naan bread, but I'm going to give your recipe a try!!

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    1. How I long for shop brought naan but this will have to do for me!

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  6. I've never thought about making my own naan bread, it's so easy to get in the UK, I didn't realise it was hard to find in America. May have to try this recipe out though, they look yum! xx

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    1. Sadly it's true. Or at least it's hard to find in the Detroit area!

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  7. I love naan bread :-) Yours look really tasty...very resourceful of you to make your own!

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  8. Uh, YUM! Thanks so much for posting this. I have to make some!

    --Amanda
    http://anthropomorphity.blogspot.com/

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  9. I've never thought of making it by myself but it sounds easy and looks yumi!

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  10. Just came across your blog, love the diversity of it! New follower :)

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    1. Thank you! I like to write about a bit of everything.

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  11. I tried making some naan bread last year, but it didn't quite work out, so have shop bought ever since. These look fab xxx

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    1. Yeah breads can be so hit and miss can't they!

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  12. This looks tasty - and doable! My husband loves to cook curry this would be a nice surprise that I can add to the meal!

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  13. Oooh, I could adapt this recipe and make gluten free naan bread. I haven't had naan bread in over six years!

    x Jasmine

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  14. oh god this looks delicious, I love a good curry so might have to give this a try next time I have one. It'd be nice to add something homemade to my takeaway!

    xx

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  15. Love homemade anything. Looks absolutely delicious. Thanks so much for sharing.

    http://myminibag.blogspot.com

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  16. Oh my! These look so gorgeous. Curry is definitely one of my favourite food so this is now on my to cook list xx
    Ella @ Belle Vintage

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  17. I think I might try making my own sometime, because I love the Peshwari Naans with the coconut inside and I can never find those ones in the shops! Yours look so yummy!
    Charlotte

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  18. Though we can find naan here quite easily, homemade ones are just much, much better. My husband tries to convince me to make it more often, but I don't fancy all the prep work ;)
    ♥ laura
    the blog of worldly delights

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  19. that is truly impressive!! when i lived in the states i'd just buy the naan bread from trader joe's i will def have to try this sometime!!

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