Garlic Naan - This Recipe Was A Success!
Last week, we made butter chicken – and it came out oh, so delicious...
This week, I’m craving another batch. But this time, I need some naan – something I scoop into the curry with... ah I'm getting hungry!
Let’s do garlic naan.
One of our readers suggested following a recipe by Kunal Kapur (Indian celebrity chef).
We tried it out in Korea and voilà – the results was fantastic.
The naan had a bubbly surface with slight burnt marks here and there – as if it were baked in a traditional tandoor oven.
I was so excited that this clever home technique actually works - hats off to you Mr. Kapur!
Now, the only requirement for this naan recipe is that you have a stainless steel wok or frying pan.
Non-stick frying pans will not work!I repeat – don’t use non-stick frying pan.
Why? The non-stick coating will make the dough slip off when we flip it upside down.
So neighbors, are you ready to make your first batch of naan at home?
Key cooking notes for garlic naan:
The recipe will make roughly 9 naans.
Don't forget to gently roll-over the minced garlic and cilantro bits into the dough – so they don't fall off.
Don’t put in any oil into the stainless steel pan. It should be absolutely dry!
IMPORTANT: Make sure you get the frying pan very hot before adding the dough - (to the point where you can feel heat waves).
Once you place the dough onto the hot frying pan, carefully give the dough a few nudges around the outside with your fingertips – so it sticks to the pan.
Then immediately flip the frying pan over and begin hovering it over the flames.
In the beginning, you may find it challenging to find the appropriate distance from the flame – but as you do it more, you’ll quickly know.
After you take the naan out the pan, give it a few passes directly over the stove flames.
This will give it a wonderful color.
Finally, don’t forget to give the naan a few dabs of butter at the end.
If you try making naan at home for the first time, tag us on IG and show us your delicious curry!
We love flipping through pics of your creations in the morning 😉
-Daniel out 🕺
(P.s. If you’re cooking alone, don’t get bored. Consider listening to our latest podcast episode while you cook!)
Ingredients
Naan Dough
- 2 Cups All Purpose Flour
- ½ teaspoon(!) Salt
- ½ teaspoon(!) Baking Powder
- 2 teaspoons(!) Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil (Or Olive Oil)
- ¾ Cup Milk
Naan Toppings
- Sprinkle of Finely Chopped Garlic
- Sprinkle of Finely Chopped Cilantro
- Few dabs Melted Butter
Instructions
Make Dough
- Clean off your kitchen counter - we'll make our dough on there. Make sure its completely dry after you wash/clean.
- Start by adding 2 cups of All-Purpose Flour. Then add Salt (½ teaspoon!), Baking Powder (½ teaspoon!) and Sugar (2 teaspoons!). Give it all a mix.
- Then use your fingers and make a small well in the center. Add in Vegetable Oil (2 Tablespoons) and some of the Milk (note: don't add in all of the ¾ cup of milk at once).
- Start to mix everything and knead the dough. You can add in the rest of the ¾ cup of milk as you start to knead.
- Continue to knead until the dough stops sticking to your hand - the dough ball will start to feel smooth.
- Place the dough into a bowl, cover it - and let it rest for 10-15 mins.
- After 10-15 mins, rip off a piece of the dough and roll in your hands into small golf-sized balls. It should produce ~9 of them.
- Now, let these dough balls rest for another 10 minutes.
- (While you wait, chop a few cloves of garlic - as well as some cilantro for topping. Make sure you chop the garlic especially into FINE pieces. Next, put some butter in a bowl and melt in the microwave. Set aside for next step)
Prep Naan
- Use a roller and flatten each dough ball into an oblong shape.
- Sprinkle on some finely-chopped garlic and cilantro. Then use the roller and gently press the toppings into the dough.
- Then use a brush and gently dab - don't brush across - some melted butter onto the naan pieces.
- Next, use a fork and gently poke around the dough.
- Repeat these steps for each ball of dough.
Cook Naan
- Take a small bowl and fill it with water - set aside.
- Place a stainless-steel wok or frying pan on a high heat. (Note: Do NOT use a non-stick frying pan).
- Important: Wait until the pan gets very hot (almost smoking hot).
- Once the pan is hot - pick up one of the naan pieces and place it - topping-side down - onto your hand. Dip your finger into the water and dab it across the back of the naan.
- Then carefully place the naan onto the frying pan (water-side down). Then use your fingers to gently press the edges of the dough onto the frying pan - so that it sticks.
- Then immediately flip the frying pan over - upside down. And move it across the open flames - back and forth.
- Let the dough cook until you start to see bubble rise from the naan.
- When you see some darkening on the bubbles, flip the frying-pan back over and set it onto a cool part of your stove. Use a spatula and carefully nudge the naan off the bottom of the frying pan.
- Then use a metal utensil and briefly place it directly over the gas flames. Give it a flip - this direct contact on the flames gives a beautiful color.
- Finally, gently dab a bit of the melted butter over the naan pieces! It's ready to eat - congrats!
- (Note: It's perfectly normal for some of the ingredients to fall off or to char during this process! Don't feel discouraged.)
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