As I have previously mentioned, where we currently live is not a hotspot when it comes to any type of food other than Mexican. Therefore, to fulfill our void of Indian food, I have to make it at home. This weekend I decided to tackle making homemade Naan.
When we lived in Virginia it was very easy (and cheap) to find ready made naan. Now that we live in west Texas it is very difficult to find naan anywhere, let alone at a reasonable price. This past Saturday I planned a wonderful Indian meal, and of course naan was included on the menu. After searching several stores for naan I discovered it was going to cost over $12 just for Russell and I to have enough for our meal (and perhaps some leftovers). At that point I decided making naan from scratch was the only way to go. After the fact I am so glad the naan was too expensive at the store because homemade naan is absolutely wonderful and easy to make! I also made a wonderful twist on the traditional tzatziki sauce (recipe will be coming soon) that I served the naan with.
Ingredients:
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 cup Milk
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 1 Egg
- 4 tbsp Oil , divided
- water
- 1 tsp Nigella seeds (Kalunji) (I omitted)
Directions:
Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder into a bowl and make a well in the middle.
Mix milk, egg, sugar and 2 tablespoons of oil together in a separate bowl. Pour into the center of the flour mixture and knead, adding water if necessary, to form soft dough (I had to add a little less than a cup of water).
Add remaining oil and knead again, then cover with a damp cloth. Allow dough to stand for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes knead dough again and cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rest for 2-3 hours.
About 30 minutes before Naan are required, preheat oven to maximum heat (I preheated the oven to 475 degrees F).
Divide dough into 8 balls and allow to rest for 3-4 minutes. Shape each ball of dough your palms to make an oval shape. Bake the Naan until puffed and golden brown, approximately 8-10 minutes. Serve hot and enjoy!
Source: Indian Food Forever: Naan
