This recipe for tradtional Indian Naan Bread is soft, buttery and delicious! So easy to make at home, with just a few basic ingredients. Essential for any Indian style meal.
Ingredients
1/2cupwarm water
1 teaspoonyeast
1teaspoonsugar
1 3/4cupall purpose flour
1tablespooncornstarch
1teaspoonbaking powder
1/2cup buttermilk, shaken
2-3tablespoonsbutter, for cooking and spreading on top
sea salt or kosher salt, chopped parsley or cilantro, for topping cooked Naan
Instructions
Place warm water in a measuring cup. Sprinkle on yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar.
Using very warm water, rinse the bowl used to make bread inside and out, creating a warm bowl for the dough. Dry with a cloth and set aside.
When yeast begins to rise, pour into the bowl of a stand mixer, or if mixing by hand, into a large bowl.
Add 1 3/4 cups flour, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1/2 cup of buttermilk and 1 teaspoon baking powder to yeast mixture in bowl.
Mix for one minute on low speed, scraping down sides of bowl once. Cover bowl with Saran wrap and put bowl in a warm place* for about 30 minutes.
Heat the griddle or other pan, preferable non stick or cast iron to about medium high heat or 350 degrees.
After dough has risen for 30 minutes, Place on a well floured pastry mat or clean surface.
Cut dough in to six even pieces, and roll out one at a time into a long oval shape. The dough should be about 1/4 inch thick.
Spread each piece on one side with melted or softened butter if desired. Grill on pan with buttered side down until golden brown. Flip and cook on other side. Cook into dough bubbles up and is golden brown. Remove and let sit on a sheet of parchment paper or cloth.
Brush while warm with butter. Sprinkle with sea salt and fresh herbs. Serve immediately.
Notes
When making any type of bread I like to make sure the bowl is warm before adding yeast or other ingredients. This is done by simply rinsing the bowl with warm water and then drying. The heat in the bowl will be retained and help the yeast to rise.
If you need a warm place for the dough to rise, use your microwave as a mini proofing oven. Take a cup of water and heat for about one minute. Discard water. Then place the bowl of bread dough into the microwave oven. Make sure to cover the dough with Saran Wrap or a light towel before placing in microwave. The heat trapped in the microwave from warming up the cup of water is just enough to create a warm environment for the dough to rise.