Easy Homemade Naan Bread Recipe - Creations by Kara (2024)

FAQs

Why do you put yogurt in naan bread? ›

Plain yogurt gives the dough a pillowy, stretchy crumb, and cooking it over high heat gives naan bread its signature glossy, blistered surface, which is finished by brushing with ghee or butter.

So in short, use bread flour if you have it. But if you don't, I wouldn't make a special trip to the supermarket because this naan is excellent made with all-purpose/plain flour too; Yeast – Instant / rapid-rise yeast is called for here.

Naan is another flatbread traditionally served in Indian restaurants but the difference is that there will already be a filling inside these flatbread pockets. Naan may be stuffed with curd, fresh desiccated coconut, butter, nigella seeds, and raisins.

Naan doesn't get bubbles – Pan not hot enough, dough not moist enough or improper leavening. Naan turns hard – Toasting for too long, not enough moisture in the dough, toasting on low heat or not kneading the dough enough.

2% milk works well, but I do not recommend using fat-free or skim milk. Full-fat Greek yogurt. The full-fat dairy in this naan recipe gives it a soft texture and rich taste.

Sour Cream: To complete the naan dough, you'll need 1 cup of sour cream. You can also use yogurt instead. Olive Oil: For brushing. Chopped Fresh Parsley: For garnish.

While it may contain more carbs and sugars, it earns its reputation as a healthy alternative with its relatively generous amounts of protein and fiber. Despite its high carb content, naan can be considered a more nutrient-dense alternative to white bread and pita.

Naan and pita are similar in that they are both flatbreads, but naan contains butter and yogurt, whereas pita does not. As stated earlier, naan is high in fat, and specifically high in saturated fats. Pita on the other hand is considered to be a low fat food.

Traditionally with Indian food, naan (or other various Indian breads) is served as an accompaniment to curry, chutney, saag paneers, etc. to scoop the contents of your meal up.

Plain Naan Bread

The Big Plain Naan is a flatbread made from wheat flour and is thick on the outside with a fluffy inner texture and when it comes to different types of naan breads, plain naan is one of the most popular.

What is a substitute for naan? ›

What most people don't realize is, most Indians don't eat naan everyday. It's a treat reserved for special occasions. A healthier alternative that is eaten daily in most indian households, is roti (also called chapati or fulka). It's an unleavened flatbread made of just two ingredients - whole wheat flour and water.

The extra protein from the yogurt eliminates the importance of advanced gluten development. The yogurt also adds some fat. The fat keeps the dough nice and soft and prevents the naan from hardening too much during the cooking process.

Potato Flakes or Potato Water

Starch helps the dough by trapping the gas from the yeast in the dough and makes the bubbles stronger. This helps the bread to rise and be lighter and fluffier. If you are boiling potatoes, you can use the unsalted water in place of the water in your bread recipe to help out the yeast.

Add Sugar

Adding sugar weakens the gluten structure, absorbs water, and eventually makes the bread lighter and softer. As a result, sugar improves the bread's taste, structure and texture. Yeast also eats up sugar to produce carbon dioxide, which raises the dough and makes bread fluffy.

The lactobacilli found in the yogurt also help break down the complex starches, irritating tannins and difficult-to digest proteins that are present in most breads. OK, so this bread is healthy, but it is also great tasting!

What Type of Yogurt do We Use in Indian Cooking? Commonly, Indian people use yogurt in cooking. This type is called 'Dahi,' which uses Indian cuisine. It adds a creamy and light texture to the dishes without weighing them down.

Damp Cloth: For larger breads like baguettes or naan, you can wrap them in a lightly dampened cloth or kitchen towel before placing them in the oven. The damp cloth will create steam during the reheating process, ensuring the bread stays soft and moist.

The yogurt is usually added to dough to tenderize it. Because of its acidity, yogurt will relax the gluten, thus making the bread more tender.