Butter Garlic Naan - Indian Flat Bread

Pillowy, Chewy, Softest Garlic Butter Naan EVER- The only Naan recipe you will EVER need! One that stays soft & delicious even hours after making it!

There is no crazy kneading or special equipment, and the naan stays super soft even 8 hours after being made. You can make it on a griddle, tawa, or cast iron pan.

This is my grandma's recipe. It's the only recipe of naan you will EVER need. So much so that I am going to spoil all store-bought naans for you.

Where I live right now, we do not get tandoori naans. I think the tandoor ovens are not allowed here. Most restaurants serve premade naans that are just bleh. So, making these at home is the only way to get that taste of India.

I still remember eating hot naans right out of the home tandoor, served with dal makhani during Delhi winters—I think I was eight!

The way to make the taste authentic is the char. You need the naan to get those burn bubbles.

Is dal makhani or butter chicken even satisfying without mopping them up with butter garlic naan? I don't think so!

You must also try my homemade bhatura recipe to serve along with channa masala. Give me anything, garlic, bread, and butter, and I will be happy! Lately, I have been making these extra crispy garlic bread in my air fryer! It's a game changer!

What is Naan

Naan, or "Naan Bread," is an Indian flatbread made in a traditional coal oven that heats up to 1000 degrees. It is an art form to make naans.

It's a fermented flatbread that's usually cooked really fast in a really hot oven called the tandoor. It's an indian barbeque that's used to make tandoori chicken and other tikkas. Sometimes, naans are also called tandoori naans.

Also. Naan Bread is a Western construct rooted in marketing. To an Indian, it translates to saying bread twice. So don't say Naan Bread. Just say Naan.

Several popular forms of naan exist- Plain naan, butter naan, butter garlic naan, & stuffed naan. Today, we will be making Garlic Naan. If you leave out the garlic, then it's just butter naan.

Ingredients for Naan

Here is what you will need to make this amazing naan!

Flour

Use all purpose flour or white flour, or maida. The stretch and the chewiness comes from the gluten that's developed during the fermentation and kneading process.

The whole wheat version of naan is called tandoori roti. It's not as chewy as an all-purpose flour version. I can't say if the recipe would work using a different type of flour.

Yeast

You can use fast-acting yeast or regular dry yeast.

If you are unsure how active your yeast is, add it to 2 tablespoon of warm water and 2 pinches of sugar.If it froths, the yeast is active. If you are using questionable yeast, add 3 tablespoon of warm water and a pinch of sugar. Let it bloom, and then use the yeast.

You can also use sourdough starter instead of packaged yeast. The taste is unbelievably good. Do this only if you know how to bake sourdough bread.

Baking Soda & Baking Powder

Yes. We use both.

It helps a lot with the bubbles and the rise of the bread. You get soft, airy, pillowy Naan with yogurt, yeast, baking soda, and baking powder.

Yogurt

Always..Always..use thick yogurts like Greek yogurt or set yogurt.

You could use homemade curd but those tend to be runny and will interfere with the proportions. So hang it in a cheesecloth over the sink for a couple of hours to remove the excess water before using.

Adding yogurt makes this an enriched, super soft, and pillowy dough. Another indian bread with enriched flour is Bhatura.Instead of baking that, we deep fry it in oil.

Garlic, Butter & Cilantro

Lots and lots of garlic! You can also use roasted garlic for an amped-up flavor.

I like to use salted butter, but you can use unsalted butter too.

How to make garlic naan at home

This is the homemade version of the traditional naan, without using the tandoor.

Step 1: Make the Dough

As you saw in the ingredients section, we will use all the leavening agents found in the kitchen- baking soda, baking powder, yeast & yogurt! and because we do this, you don't need to knead the dough too much.

We want a shaggy, soft, sticky dough. This dough will have high hydration, a.k.a. a lot of "liquid," which will make the naans super soft and pillowy.

This dough will transform into a perfectly soft, pliable dough once the proofing or the rising process is done.

Just dump the flour, baking soda, baking powder, dry active yeast, salt, yogurt, and ½ cup of warm water in a big bowl. Bring it together to form a sticky dough, as shown in the picture.

Step 2: Proofing

Drizzle some oil on the dough and spread it around. Make sure you cover all of it's surface. If you don't, then the dough will harden in some parts, and you will not be able to use that bit.

Cover it with cling film or an air-tight lid, ensuring it has room to grow but at least double. Keep it in a shaded area for 3-4 hours.

If you have used fast-acting yeast, the dough should be ready in 2-3 hours. If not, then it can take anywhere between 3-4 hours.

Step 3 : Shaping

The tough bit is now over. Really!

You can either portion the dough into equal parts or just take out sections as you roll.

Shape the dough into a ball. Flour the surface, rolling pin and the dough ball.Roll it into an oblong or an oval shape.

You can sprinkle nigella seeds and sesame seeds- black or white if you want. Just roll it one final time again to make sure the seeds are stuck to the dough.

Step 4: Cooking

Heat your cast iron pan or tawa.Make sure to heat it till it's almost smoking. The hotter your tawa, the more the naan will bubble.

Place is plain side down(of the naan). The naan should start puffing up.

You can lift it a bit to see the color. Once it has some light brown—dark brown spots, flip it and cook the other side.

Step 5 : Garlic Butter

Chop the garlic and cilantro. Add butter to it. Microwave for 1 minute till the butter is bubbling and has fully melted.

Brush the Naan with it.

Reheating Naan

Normally, this would be a nightmare. Any naan on the table for more than 20 minutes will be too rubbery to eat.

BUT..with this recipe, the naan will be soft & pillowy even after you have cooked and let it cool completely. Heck, it is perfect even after 8 hours of cooking it!

A recent trick I have learnt is to use a frying pan with a lid. Add about 2 tablespoons of water, once it comes to boil, place the cold naan in.Cover with lid and let it heat through till the water evaporates.

Storing & Freezing

As I said above, the naan is perfect even hours after making it. If you are not eating them immediately, butter them later.

They will keep well on the counter for upto 1-2 days.You can freeze naans at various stages-

• Un-proofed(not risen) dough can be kept overnight in the refrigerator for a slow rise.
• Proofed Dough- Once the dough has risen, you can wrap it in plastic wrap and freeze it in single naan-sized portions for later use. Just thaw overnight in the refrigerator or on the counter. Roll and follow the same cooking process as above.
• Cooked Naan - You can freeze cooked naans too. To use, just microwave the naan ,brush it with garlic butter, and serve.

Serving Garlic Naan

Naans are best, right off the tawa- piping hot. Serve them immediately with indian curries. The most popular vegetarian combination is kali dal or dal makhani and naan.Other meatless options are paneer butter masala, palak paneer and matar paneer.

The most popular non-vegetarian combination is butter chicken and naan. Other great curries with it are chicken tikka masala and mutton curry from Rajasthan.

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