A truly divine naan is crispy on the outside, a little bit charred with brown spots, soft on the inside and a little chewy and fluffy in parts. Like pizza, it is cooked for a very short time at an extremely high temperature. That’s why homemade naan often doesn’t come close to naan in a restaurant that is made in a tandoor–an earthen wood or coal-fired oven. Can you make good naan at home, and is it worth even trying? YES! You can do this either on a pizza stone/steel or in a heavy cast-iron skillet/griddle. The surface needs to be searing hot, and I like to give a final char directly on the flame. The result: heavenly naan.
| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 3 hr |
| Active: | 45 min |
| Yield: | 8 naan |
Ingredients
- One 1/4-ounce package active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 3 cups high-gluten bread flour, plus more for dusting (see Cook’s Note)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
- 4 tablespoons ghee or unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for brushing and serving (see Cook’s Note)
- 1/4 cup milk, warmed
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, optional (see Cook’s Note)
- Oil, for the bowl
- 2 tablespoons nigella seeds, optional (see Cook’s Note)
Instructions
- Combine the yeast and sugar with 1/4 cup warm water in a small bowl and mix well. Set aside until it begins to froth, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile combine 2 1/2 cups of the flour with the salt in a large mixing bowl and mix well. Make a well in the center and add the yeast-mixture, yogurt, ghee or butter, warm milk and lemon juice, if using. Mix well with your fingers until it forms a sticky or shaggy dough. Add more flour if too shaggy or a little water if too dry.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place in a larger lightly-oiled bowl, tightly cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a draft-free place, such as an unlit oven, until doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours.
- If using a pizza stone/steel: An hour before baking, put a pizza stone or steel on the lowest oven rack and preheat to 500 to 550 degrees F. If using a cast-iron skillet/griddle, just before baking, heat the skillet or griddle on the stove over high heat until very hot, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Put some melted ghee or butter in a small bowl. Add the remaining flour to another bowl.
- Divide the dough into 8 balls. Dab each ball in flour, flatten on a lightly floured surface and stretch or roll into an oval shape, thinner in the center and slightly thicker on the sides. Don’t worry too much about the shape; I love making various countries when I make my naan! Dust off any extra flour. Brush some ghee or butter on the top of each and sprinkle with nigella seeds if using (add a little more than you want as you will lose a bunch while charring).
- Transfer the stretched naan onto the hot stone or skillet. Cook until you see some bubbles on top, 2 to 3 minutes. Take it out with tongs and flash-cook over an open flame, turning it so that it gets a few brown charred spots on both sides. Spread with a generous pat of butter/ghee and serve hot. Repeat with the remaining naan.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 751 |
| Total Fat | 63 g |
| Saturated Fat | 8 g |
| Carbohydrates | 40 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 2 g |
| Protein | 8 g |
| Cholesterol | 18 mg |
| Sodium | 248 mg |
Reviews
I’ve tried to make naan at home for years after falling in love with it in India. It was never even cloe until I tried this recipe. This is the best homemade naan recipe I’ve ever tried. The texture, thickness and flavor is spot on! I used an electric griddle set on very high to get a consistent temperature and they turned out great. EXCELLENT!