Recipe: Simple Naan Bread (& Supporting Local Business)

Sunday 14 October 2018

Recipe: Simple Naan Bread (& Supporting Local Business)

This is a simplified naan recipe, that will give you a pretty good fluffy naan to go with your favourite curry. I’ve simplified it so you can make them with the kids! Bit of fun for a Sunday afternoon! (and you end up with a tasty naan bread) It also gives me an excuse to promote Bhavin Mistry’s great curries! (Available at Bruton Convenience Store)

Tadka Daal & Samosa made by Bhavin Mistry available from Bruton Convenience Store

Ingredients for the naan bread (makes 8 naans)

500g strong flour

200ml water

7g yeast (dried)

30g sugar

5g salt

50 ml extra virgin olive oil (or olive oil)

1 large free range egg (beaten)

4g garlic (1 clove, finely chopped - optional)

Note if you want to make 4 naans instead of 8 halve all the ingredients and use a medium sized egg!

Method

First activate the yeast: Boil a third of the water (simply put in the microwave for 1 minute). Mix it with the rest of the water and stir in the sugar and dried yeast until they are both dissolved. Put to one side.

(the mix will be around 35C perfect temperature to activate the yeast, any hotter and you’ll kill it!).

It’s ready to use as soon as it’s frothy on the surface. (about 10-15 minutes)

Beat the egg and add the oil to it. (If you have a food processor skip the next two steps)

If not: Mix all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl until they come together into a dough.

Knead the dough on the counter for 8-10mins. (the purpose here is to get gluten forming in the dough to give elasticity)

IF YOU HAVE A FOOD PROCESSOR WITH A DOUGH BLADE:

Once the yeast mix has started to froth put all of the ingredients into a food processor fitted with a plastic blade (dough blade).

Pulse the ingredients until they come together into a dough - it should be coming away from the side of the mixer cleanly.

Knead the dough by running the machine for another 2 mins (it feels like forever!!)

Take the kneaded dough and place in an oiled container with a lid, or cover the container with cling film to stop it forming a crust.

(the oil will make it much easier to get out once it’s proved, and stop the dough sticking to the cling film)

Leave it in a warm place until it’s doubled in size.

When the dough is ready turn it out and cut off a 100g piece of the dough (about the size of your fist) and roll it out until its 1cm thick. Then use your hands to stretch it out and make it naan bread sized . . . . drop it into a hot non stick pan and cook until bubbly on the top and brown on the bottom, then flip it, and finish cooking the top.

Brush with garlic or plain butter if you like!

Serve with your favourite curry! In this case I’ve been dying to try Bhavin’s curry and samosas, so I had it with a Tadka Daal. I put the samosa in the oven to crisp up the pastry, absolutely lovely!!