Making garlic naan is a delicious and relatively simple process. Naan is a type of Indian bread that’s soft and often served with curries or other Indian dishes. Here’s a basic recipe for making garlic naan:
Ingredients:
For the Naan Dough:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
2 tablespoons melted ghee or butter
About 3/4 cup lukewarm water
For the Garlic Topping:
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons melted ghee or butter
Chopped fresh coriander leaves (optional)
A pinch of salt
Instructions:
1. Prepare the Dough:
In a small bowl, mix the sugar and active dry yeast in lukewarm water. Allow it to sit for about 5-10 minutes until frothy.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt.
Add the activated yeast mixture, yogurt, and melted ghee/butter to the flour mixture.
Gradually add lukewarm water and knead to form a soft and smooth dough. You might not need all the water, so add it gradually.
Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rest in a warm place for about 1-2 hours, or until it doubles in size.
2. Prepare the Garlic Topping:
In a small bowl, mix the minced garlic, melted ghee/butter, chopped coriander leaves (if using), and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
3. Cooking the Naan:
Preheat a skillet or a tava (a flat Indian griddle) over medium-high heat.
Punch down the risen dough and divide it into small balls, about the size of a golf ball.
Take one ball of dough and roll it out into an oval or round shape, about 1/4 inch thick. You can use some extra flour to prevent sticking.
Brush the rolled-out dough with a little water. This will help it stick to the skillet.
Place the rolled dough onto the preheated skillet, water side down.
Cook for about 1-2 minutes until you see bubbles forming on the surface.
Flip the naan and cook the other side for another 1-2 minutes until you see some brown spots.
While the naan is cooking, spread a small amount of the garlic topping mixture on the cooked side.
Remove the naan from the skillet and brush the garlic side with a bit more of the garlic topping mixture.
Repeat the process for the remaining dough balls.
4. Serving:
Serve the garlic naan hot, brushed with additional garlic topping if desired. Garlic naan is a wonderful accompaniment to Indian curries, dals, or as a standalone snack.