My Final Perfected Full Proof Recipe for Plain and Chili Garlic Naan without Tandoor Oven

Naan in parts of the Indian subcontinent usually refers to a specific kind of thick flatbread (another well-known kind of flatbread is Chapati. Generally, it resembles pita and, like pita bread, is usually leavened with yeast or with bread starter (leavened naan dough left over from a previous batch); unleavened dough (similar to that used for roti ) is also used. Naan is cooked in a tandoor, from which tandoori cooking takes its name. This distinguishes it from roti, which is usually cooked on a flat or slightly concave iron griddle called a tava. Modern recipes sometimes substitute baking for the yeast. Milk or yogurt may also be used to impart distinct tastes to the naan. Milk used instead of water will, as it does for ordinary bread, yield a softer dough. Also, when bread starter (which contains both yeast and lactobacilli is used, the milk may undergo modest lactic fermentation. Typically, it is served hot and brushed with some water but in some other cultures such as those in the Indian Subcontinent, they brush ghee or butter. It can be used to scoop other foods or served stuffed with a filling. A typical naan recipe involves mixing white or whole wheat flour with active dry yeast, salt, and water. The dough is kneaded for a few minutes, then set aside to rise for a few hours.

Once risen, the dough is divided into balls (about 100 g or 3.5 oz each), which are flattened and cooked. In Pakistani cuisine,  naans are typically flavored with fragrant essences, such as rose, khus (vetiver), or with butter or ghee melted on them. Nigella seeds are commonly added to naan as cooked in Indian and Bangladeshi restaurants throughout the UK.  Naan can also be covered with, or serve as a wrap for, various toppings of meat, vegetables, or cheese. This version is sometimes prepared as fast. It can also be dipped into such soups as dal   and goes well with sabzis (also known as shaakh).

Not having Tandoor oven and making the naan at home is a challenge.  I have been trying to perfect the recipe by using oven at home and stove. For those of you follow my blog, may have seen that I had posted about 3-4  recipes of naan, one in oven and one with using yogurt.
While they all came out ok but one in oven was too dry and one with yogurt was ok but this one is the best. Kneading the dough is the key, if you don't have electric mixer and like to make bread, invest in one. Otherwise you can use your hands but have to knead it for good 5-10 min before and after the dough is risen.

You will also need a good heavy duty griddle ( I used cast iron griddle, actually I have a fajita griddle which is oval shape and works perfect for the tear drop shape of naan, but you can make round naan too )
Make sure you have a heat proof handle on the griddle, so you don't burn your hand while flipping the griddle.
I used silicone grip that goes right over the handle of griddle but it was still getting hot so I use silicon mittens over to flip the griddle.

Ingredients: 

• 4 cups of AP flour (Maida) (You can use half AP and half Durum  chapati flour or 3: 1 ratio), I used AP only
• 1 and half teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 
• 2 teaspoon of sugar (1 tsp for dough and 1 tsp for yeast)
• 1 cup milk
• 1 packet of instant fast rising yeast

• 6 tablespoon of oil (4 tbls for making the dough and 2 tbls to coat the dough once the dough is formed)
• 1/2 cup of water
• You will need    finely chopped green chilies and garlic (minced) and finely chopped cilantro for garlic chili naan.
• Some extra flour to work the dough and also when you are rolling the naan.

Method: 

• Heat the milk in microwave for 1 min and 15 sec for it to be look warm.
• Add 1 teaspoon of sugar mix until dissolved.
• Add yeast and gently mix until no lump.
• Cover the the bowl/cup and let the yeast rise for 10 min. (do not use old expired yeast, if does not froth, throw it away and I had better results the fast rising yeast vs just active yeast)
• While the yeast is rising, sift or mix flour, salt, remaining 1 teaspoon of sugar, baking powder and baking soda in a bow from the electric mixer.
• Attach the hook to the mixer and place the bowl on to mixer.
• Once yeast is frothy, add 4 tablespoon of oil and yeast mixture to all the dry ingredients.

• Rinse the yeast cup/bowl with 1/2 cup of water and add this to the flour mix, yeast and oil.
• Mix at low speed initially then at high speed until it all comes together.
• You will see the dough receding the bowl. 
• Add one table spoon of oil and mix again.
• Turn the mixer off before the dough starts sticking to bowl again.
• Then coat the dough with oil with hands.
• Cover with plastic wrap and I put another lid on it.
• Let it rise in a warm draft free place for min of 4 hours and but can wait for 6 -8 hours ( can do this overnight)

• Once the dough is doubled in size.
• Punch it to let the air out and place it back on the mixer with hook attachment.
• Sprinkle some flour on it and mix at high speed for good 2-3 min.
• Take it out of mixer bowl and on to the flour board or counter with flour on it and knead with hands and divide the dough.
• Make 12 equals size round smooth balls with hand, may have to use flour on your palms as the dough can be sticky.
• Place the dough balls on a plate and cover with plastic wrap and place them in a warm place for second rise for about min of 30  min or until you are ready to roll and make the naan.

• While the dough is rising again, you can get your work station ready. 
• You will need a rolling pin and rolling surface ( you can use your counter), some extra flour, a cup of bowl and cookie sheet with parchment paper. 

• First time I made the naan I was rolling one and cooking one on the stove at the same time but it is too hectic, so it is good idea to roll all the naan that you need to serve for your family at the same time and place them on parchment paper, then, cook them all at one time, believe me it will save you some time and anxiety of burning the naan.

• Make the risen ball smooth with rolling them in between palms of hand and coat them with floor as shown in picture.
• Roll in to an oval or round shape not very thick.
• Place them on parchment paper until all needed to serve all rolled.

Once ready to cook, heat the griddle on stove at medium to hot setting.

• Once griddle is hot.
• Brush  water on one of the surface of rolled naan.
• Place the wet side down on griddle and let it cook on medium heat until you see the dough bubbling.

• Make sure the other side is golden brown by peeking with spatula.
• Now grab old of griddle with handle and invert it directly on the flame and since there is water on other side it should stick on griddle and won't fall. 
• Check it and cook until light golden brown specks appear on the naan.
• It is amazing to see the bubbled forming on the naan, I could not stop taking pictures.
• Once evenly cooked, take it off the griddle and brush with butter and serve hot.
• Repeat the process.

• To make chili garlic naan, finely chopped and mince the garlic with grater, mix chili and garlic together, keep the chopped Cilantro separate and you would add this at the end of the cooking naan so the leaves don't get charred.

• You would roll the naan the same then add the chili and garlic on the rolled naan.
• Once again lightly  roll and press the garlic and chili on to naan with chili garlic on it.
• Brush other side of naan with water and repeat cooking process same at that of plain naan.
• Once  naan being fulling cooked, sprinkle and press the chopped cilantro on it with spatula and brush it with butter and serve hot.

• I know I have lot of pictures but hope this helped with step by step process in how to make naan on stove.
• Seems like a lengthy tedious process but if you make it few times it will be very easy and you will find your own way to run the process more smoothly. 
• I love this recipes so much that I have this recipe memorized by heart and I hope you do too.
• Enjoy and serve them hot with your favorite curry.

Naan Information source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naanhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Text_of_Creative_Commons_Attribution-ShareAlike_3.0_Unported_License
Recipe and Photographs by Surekha.

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