Naan - The Indian Bread

INGREDIENTS:

2 Cups All purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp instant yeast

2 tbsp ghee/olive oil

4-5 tbsp yogurt

1/2 cup lukewarm water

HOW TO MAKE:

1)   In a bowl, add the flour along with salt. Sift this flour to mix once. Add instant yeast and set aside. Add the ghee/olive oil & the yogurt to this. Mix thill you get crumb like txture to the flour.

2)   Start mixing in lukewarm water till everything comes together.Start with 1/4 cup of water to begin with. Once a loose dough ball starts to come together, transfer the dough to a floured surface, and continue kneading for 5-8 minutes till you get a soft, elastic dough.While kneading , if you feel that the dough is on the dry side, add a tablespoon of water, if you feel it sticky, add some flour to bring it together.

3)  Brush some oil on all sides of the bowl, and once kneaded, transfer the dough back to the bowl. Brush some oil on the top of the dough ball, cover the bowl with a damp cloth and set aside in a warm, dry place for atleast 1-1.5 hours to rise. Your dough should resemble bread dough - with pores.

4) Once it rises, knead it for another 5 minutes. Divide the dough into equal sized 6 balls. Roll each one into a falt ball. The dough will be very very soft. Make use of flour & roll out carefully into shapes you desire - generally round.

5) The next step is the naan preperation step and this can be done in 2 ways:

          a) Heat a grill and place 2-3 naans on a baking tray. Place the baking tray in the grill/oven and grill them for a maximum of 3-4 minutes. If using the grill of a cooking range, place it on the gas mark 4 and grill it.

          b) Heat a skillet to very hot and place the naan on it. You will find bubbles emerging on the top surface of the naan, reduce flame and turn it on the other side. Do this till you fidn the naan cooked/light brownish. Remove from the skillet & repeat this for the other naans.

6) Take a tongs and on an open flame try to char the naans in 1-2 places to get that typical naan look & taste. Do not burn it in this stage. Brush immediately with butter and sprinkle dried fenugreek leaves or finely chopped coriander leaves on it. Serve naans with a gravy.

RATING NOTES:

              DIFFICULTY LEVEL    :   MEDIUM
              RATING  POINTS         :    8/10**

**  If you are using active yeast, dissolve sugar in luke warm milk, add 1 tablespoon active dry yeast and set aside till frothy. If you don’t see foam within 30 seconds of dissolving the yeast,discard the mix & restart.