Garlic Naan Bread

Although bread is often associated with Western food, it’s also a staple of daily diets in parts of Asia. Naan is a type of bread that is widely eaten in west Asia, south Asia and even western China. Each region has its own version of naan and ways to prepare, cook and serve it. For me, nothing beats a fresh homemade bread. As much as I love baking my sour-dough bread every weekend, it does take a significant amount of time to make. So my solution to a “quick bread” is always some type of flatbread such as pita or naan. 

These days, bread seems to have a bad reputation as gluten-free diets have recently become the fastest-growing food trend. Obviously, there are people who have celiac disease who shouldn’t be eating gluten. There seems to also be a debate about whether “gluten intolerance” might be caused by the way the wheat is grown or how wheat-based products are prepared. People seem to forget that bread has been an important part of our lives for thousands of years. I’m a believer in making and preparing your own healthier bread at home, especially if you are sensitive to store-bought bread products. And believe it or not, it’s so much cheaper than buying it from the store! What better way to start making your own bread than by starting with the easiest (and tastiest) — naan. This week I’d like to share with you my go-to garlic and cilantro naan recipe. It’s so easy and fun to make and perfect for weeknight dinner. Makes 8 to 10 naany go to garlic and cilantro naan recipe, so easy and fun to make, perfect for week night dinner.

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour

¹⁄₂ Tbsp. garlic powder

1¹⁄₂ tsp. granulated sugar

2¹⁄₄ tsp. instant yeast

2 Tbsp. melted butter

¹⁄₂ tsp. salt

¹⁄₂ cups plain Greek yogurt (full fat)

¹⁄₂ cups luke warm water (105-110 F)

¹⁄₄ cups fresh cilantro

1 clove of garlic

Direction:
Start by mincing the garlic and finely chopping the cilantro. Mix in flour, yeast, sugar, melted butter and yogurt until combined. Add in lukewarm water and kneed until dough is smooth and elastic (about 3 minutes). Cover it up and let it proof for an hour, until it doubles in size. 

After the dough has risen, roll it into a log and cut it into 8 to 10 pieces.

Roll the individual dough into 6- to 8-inch diameters. 

Heat up a non-stick pan on high heat. Once the pan is blazing hot, place the rolled-out dough on the pan. Let it cook until it starts puffing up (about two minutes). Flip it and let it cook for another minute. 

 

These are great to serve with curry or any type of stew. If you have any leftovers, you can also slap an egg on it and make breakfast with it.